The Declaration of Independence at 250: A Revolutionary Idea That Established a New Nation
On Tuesday, June 30, 2026, from Noon to 1:00 p.m., Clayton State University will celebrate
the 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation with a panel discussion featuring history
experts from the University System of Georgia, held at the Georgia Archives, located at
5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, GA 30260. The event is free and open to the public, but
seating is limited. To register for the event, visit the online registration form here.
Georgia’s copy of the Declaration of Independence will be on display during the event as
part of the 250th anniversary celebration. In January 1777, Congress ordered that
authenticated printed copies of the Declaration, produced by Mary Katherine Goddard, be
sent to each state for official recording. Georgia’s surviving record of this text was entered
by hand into an official state volume on March 2, 1777, alongside military appointments
and bonds.
The Declaration of Independence at 250 Panel Discussion will include:
Adam Tate, Professor of History; Chair, Department of Humanities at Clayton State
University — Focus: The Declaration of Independence, the Continental Congress, and
Self-Government.
Keith Pacholl, Professor of History, University of West Georgia — Focus: Religion and
the Declaration of Independence.
Jeff Rogers, Professor of History, Gordon State College — Focus: How the Declaration of
Independence was remembered in the South during the antebellum period.
Moderator: Penelope Cliff, Former Director of Archives and Information Studies at
Clayton State University.
