Opening of the Gilder Lehrman Institute Exhibit: What is Freedom?

From January 5 – 30, stop by the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library to explore the “Freedom:  A History of US” exhibit from the Gilder Lehrmen Institute. The library is open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday – Thursday and from  9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Since 1776, when the United States declared independence from Great Britain, the idea of freedom and our understanding of its implications have changed dramatically. Drawing on materials from the Gilder Lehrman Collection, this exhibition traces the evolving concept of freedom from the founding era to the election of Barack Obama. Among the highlights are a rare 1776 printing of the Declaration of Independence, a printed draft and the official copy of the US Constitution, Lincoln’s handwritten notes for speeches, and letters by leading figures such as Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, Martin Luther King Jr., and more.

This exhibit is part of the America 250 series of special events co-sponsored by Mississippi University for Women, the Mississippi School for Math and Science, and the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library. The series provides opportunities to reflect on the American experiment as we mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.