Community Reading of the Declaration of Independence
Third Street in Downtown Frankfort
Event info
| Date: | July 8, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Time: | 6:00 pm |
| Location: | Third Street in Downtown Frankfort |
Details
Wednesday, July 8, 6pm
Location: Third Street between the Hotel Frankfort and the Garden Theater will be closed down for this event.
On July 8, 1776, when Colonel John Nixon first read the Declaration of Independence aloud in Philadelphia’s State House Yard, he wasn’t simply announcing a break with Britain—he was voicing a radical idea: that legitimate power comes from the consent of the governed, not from the crown or the sword. In that moment, a public reading became a public promise—one we are still striving to keep.
Born in Hawai‘i as a community tradition, Sharing the Spirit of America has grown, neighbor‑to‑neighbor, into a nationwide event—across all 50 states and the nine U.S. territories—of publicly reading the Declaration of Independence on July 8, 2026, at precisely the same time that John Nixon first read it, 6:00 PM EDT.
In 2026, Michigan joins this chorus—inviting towns, campuses, libraries, tribal communities, faith groups, veterans’ halls, and families to gather in public spaces and lend their voices to a founding text that still challenges us to become our best selves.
Bring your voice. Bring your family. Bring your story. Read with us—then keep working—to secure Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness for everyone who calls Michigan, and the United States of America, home.
