By McKenzie Romero | Editor
The United States is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Where does Utah’s history fit in?
An exhibit at the University of Utah J. Willard Marriott Library is telling the many stories that weave through Utah in the nation’s legacy. And while today might be the peak of America 250 celebrations, you can see the free display through Sept. 9
In this Independence Day edition of the Dispatch we highlight the exhibit promising to share “The Many Voices of Democracy” and bring you our top stories of the week, including fiery warnings ahead of the July 4 holiday and how Western governors want to work together to improve the region’s power grid.
“Discover the layered history of democracy in America through the voices and stories of the people who were instrumental in helping to create democracy and essential to preserving it in our present and future.” — A description of the “America in the Archive: The Many Voices of Democracy” exhibit at the University of Utah.
A reproduction of the Declaration of Independence is on display as part of an exhibit titled “America in the Archive: The Many Voices of Democracy” at the University of Utah J. Willard Marriott Library in Salt Lake City, Utah until Sept. 9, 2026. (Photo courtesy of the University of Utah J. Willard Marriott Library)
By Katie McKellar
The American history exhibit at the University of Utah library puts a focus on Utah and the Intermountain West as it strives to lay out the nation’s history not as a straight line, but as a web of stories from different peoples and beliefs.
“Consider the fact that the University of Utah was founded in 1850, but Utah Territory did not become a state until 1896 — both well after the 1776 signing and the revolution,” curators said. “This historical distance required us to think more broadly about the American Revolution and how its repercussions rippled across the continent.”
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