Imagining Liberty

On July 4, 2026, the United States (U.S.) will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Remembering the beginning of this nation provides an opportunity to gather again around the hope for "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." In the era of the American Revolution, many people experienced not only the beginnings of a new form of government but also an opportunity for their aspirations to be fulfilled. The demand for independence from colonialism was accompanied by a search for innovative ways to collaborate and learn together. That demand insisted on a vision of shared power to imagine and build a form of a society with greater potential for freedom and well-being.

The Imagining Liberty Project revisits the widely shared experience of hope that has become a driving force in U.S. history over 250 years of social change. The Declaration of Independence was and is a call to action and active citizenship—challenging everyone in the U.S. to become makers of our history and our future each day, and demanding that the future belong to all of the people.