New Library of Congress exhibit features rare draft of Declaration of Independence: "You can see them changing words throughout"

Key Points:

• The Library of Congress is displaying a rare, original draft of the Declaration of Independence written by Thomas Jefferson in an exhibit titled "The Declaration's Promise," open through July 2027 for America's semiquincentennial.
• The draft shows edits from Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, including changing "subjects" to "citizens," reflecting the shift from monarchy to a nation based on citizenship and mutual governance.
• Key phrases like "self-evident" rights replaced "sacred and undeniable," and the phrase "all men are created equal" originally applied primarily to White men, excluding women, enslaved people, and Native Americans.
• The exhibit also features significant historical documents such as Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address draft, Susan B. Anthony's Declaration of Rights for women's suffrage, and speeches from the Civil Rights Movement, highlighting America's ongoing evolution toward equality.
• Curators emphasize the exhibit as an opportunity to reflect on the nation's progress and challenges in fulfilling the promises of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.