Monticello launches book club to remind us of Declaration of Independence ideals

As we celebrate the freedoms that we used to have this Independence Day, the folks at Monticello are launching a book club aimed at reminding us that we once sought to overthrow would-be kings.

“The Declaration Book Club is one of the many exciting elements of our celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday in 2026,” said Jane Kamensky, president of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. “We think Americans are hungry for the opportunity to rediscover, discuss and celebrate the Declaration. We can all take inspiration from its global impact and lasting legacy.”

The people who signed the Declaration of Independence didn’t envision masked federal agents snatching innocent people off the streets for transport to something called Alligator Alcatraz, but otherwise, Kamensky’s point is valid.

The Declaration Book Club is a three-part reading and discussion tool kit is designed for learners of all ages, per a press release.

The use of the word “learners” there, unfortunately, means we won’t be reaching the people who most need to be confronted with what our Founders were declaring with this book club thing.

Anyway, for those who want to reminisce about what America used to be, the free, downloadable tool kit is designed to be used over three meetings.

• Meeting 1: 1776 Participants will explore the creation of the Declaration, analyzing Jefferson’s original drafts, Congress’s revisions, and the revolutionary ideals that shaped the nation’s birth.
• Meeting 2: 1826 This session reflects on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration and the legacies of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, who both died on July 4, 1826, by then well aware of the document’s evolving significance.
• Meeting 3: Legacies The final session, which would be too DEI-y for the MAGAs, examines how the Declaration’s ideals have inspired movements for equality and self government, from Elizabeth Cady Stanton at Seneca Falls to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

Participants can download the free kit and access materials at monticello.org/bookclub.