Ted Widmer, The Living Declaration: A Biography of America's Founding Text, with Brian Bergstein of the Boston Globe
Thursday, June 25, 2026
Historian and former presidential speechwriter Ted Widmer joins Brian Bergstein of The Boston Globe for a conversation exploring the origins and lasting impact of the words and ideas that shaped America. Hosted by Revolutionary Spaces at the Old State House, the program celebrates the Boston launch of Widmer’s new book, The Living Declaration: A Biography of America’s Founding Text, and is part of the season commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Two and a half centuries later, these words remain both familiar and provocative. What do they mean today, and how have their meanings changed over time?
Widmer revisits the Declaration’s origins and traces how its ideas have been interpreted, challenged, and redefined across generations. Through voices ranging from early revolutionaries to civil rights leaders, he explores how Americans have debated its promises and used it to push for change. Featuring figures like Noah Webster, Frederick Douglass, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Abraham Lincoln, Widmer highlights how the Declaration has shaped conflicts, reforms, and movements in the U.S. and beyond.
Bringing together diverse and often conflicting perspectives, this conversation reflects the enduring power of the Declaration as a foundation for ongoing debates about freedom, equality, and democracy.
This program is free and open to the public thanks to the generous support of the Lowell Institute. Doors will open at 6:00PM and the program will begin at 6:30PM. Light refreshments will be provided. The first fifty (50) registered attendees will receive copies of Widmer’s book.
Seating for this event is limited and priority access is available for Revolutionary Spaces members.
For those unable to attend in person, this program will be livestreamed. A link to watch this program will be emailed to livestream registrants at a later date.
About the Speakers
Widmer is a Distinguished Lecturer at Macaulay Honors College (City University of New York), former Director of the John Carter Brown Library (Brown University), and former speechwriter and Senior Advisor to President Bill Clinton. He is the author of Lincoln on the Verge: Thirteen Days to Washington, which won the Lincoln Forum Book Prize in 2020. He has edited numerous works for Library of America, including American Speeches: Political Oratory (2006) in two volumes. He writes regularly about American history in The Washington Post, The New Yorker, and The New York Times, where he helped create the disunion feature about the Civil War.
Accessibility at the Old State House
Please note that the Old State House is currently not accessible. There are six steps to enter the building and approximately 30 to 40 steps to access the Council Chamber on the second floor. Restrooms are located in the basement. If you have any questions, please contact info@revolutionaryspaces.org to learn more about reasonable accommodations that we can provide.