The Massachusetts Historical Society (MHS) is hosting a commemorative program marking the 250th anniversary of July 2, 1776 – the day the Continental Congress voted for independence from Great Britain. Although the nation ultimately adopted July 4 as its official birthday, John Adams believed July 2 would be celebrated for generations, predicting in a letter to Abigail Adams that the day would be marked with “pomp and parade… games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations.” The event will feature historical reenactors portraying John and Abigail Adams, bringing the couple’s famous correspondence and the dramatic days surrounding independence to life, as well as a reading of the Declaration of Independence by WCVB Newscenter 5’s anchor Maria Stephanos.
The event will take place alongside 1776: Declaring Independence, the Society’s landmark exhibition featuring some of the nation’s most significant founding‑era artifacts, including:
– John Adams’ and Thomas Jefferson’s handwritten copies of the Declaration of Independence
– A rare Dunlap Broadside, the earliest printing of the Declaration
– Original Adams family correspondence discussing the vote for independence and Adams’s prediction about July 2
– Tea recovered from Boston Harbor after the Boston Tea Party
– Additional manuscripts and documents illustrating how the Declaration transformed the colonies into a new nation
The event is free and registration is recommended to secure your spot: https://www.masshist.org/events/USA-250-birthday
