Chapin Library hosts July 4 reading of historical texts.

The Chapin Library of Rare Books at Williams College will host the annual July 4 reading of the Declaration of Independence and speeches by Frederick Douglass and John Quinney at 1:00 p.m. The event, held indoors at Chapin Hall, is free and open to the public.

This year’s program includes:

• The Declaration of Independence and Preamble to the U.S. Constitution
• Excerpts from Frederick Douglass’ “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”
• Excerpts from The Declaration of the Rights of the Women of the United States
• Excerpts from John Quinney’s Fourth of July, 1854, Address at Reidsville, New York, read by President of the Stockbridge Munsee Community Shannon Holsey

The Dunlap Broadside printing of the Declaration of Independence, a draft of the U.S. Constitution and other documents from the Chapin Library’s collections will be on display in Sawyer Library’s Chapin Gallery after the reading from 1:30 to 2:30.