Newberry Library

The Newberry recently hosted former Latvia President Egils Levits for a collection presentation and tour of our exhibition, "The Declaration of Independence and the Words That Made the United States." It was especially fitting as Mr. Levits wrote the declaration of restored Latvian independence in 1990. The Newberry's President and Librarian Astrida Orle Tantillo joined Mr. Levits in the Hanson Gallery, and collection presentation participants included curators Jill Gage and Suzanne Karr Schmidt and Robert Blumberg, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Latvia in the State of Illinois. Materials included contemporary works as well as the first example of printed Latvian outside of Latvia, featured in the 1550 Münster Cosmographia (the "Our Father," visible at the center of Slide 6). Mr. Levits served as the tenth president of Latvia from 2019 to 2023.

Late last week, the Associated Press featured the Newberry's Curt Teich Postcard Archives Collection as part of an article investigating large-letter postcards and the mid-twentieth century American optimism and idealism they embodied.

In the piece, Will Hansen, the Newberry's Curator of Americana, reflects on these postcards, saying, "They’re very optimistic looking. That is sort of in tandem with how Americans are thinking about America at that time — that this is a country on an upward trajectory, that we have more money to spend, that we’re able to travel freely in ways we couldn’t before."

The article is a part of the Associated Press' America 250 series, "American Objects," which examines the materiality of American life through quintessentially American objects, from the baseball and blue jeans to even ranch dressing. Click the link to read the whole story, which has now appeared in 173 news outlets across the US and Canada and in a few locations like the UK and New Zealand: https://apnews.com/article/america-250-objects-postcards-df352f5524ec904a032cb6a85b9ec51e?utm_source=copy&utm_medium=share

The Newberry is home to the largest public collection of postcards in the United States. Stop by the library to browse our collection or visit collections.newberry.org to view digitized postcards.

Colorful 'Greetings from' postcards reflected American innovation, idealism Postcards emblazoned with “Greetings from” a state, city or tourist attraction advertise more than just the tiny scenes squeezed into 3D letters.

On July 9, 1776, General George Washington assembled a crowd of American colonists at the New York City Commons for a public reading of the Declaration of Independence. The words of this document, which had only been adopted five days prior, served as a rallying cry for civilians and soldiers alike and solidified the values of the revolutionary cause. Shortly after Washington’s speech, a crowd of incensed patriots marched down Broadway to tear down a statue of British Monarch King George III. The lead sculpture was later melted down to produce American bullets.

The hand-engraved image depicting this event (entitled “La destruction de la statue royale à Nouvelle Yorck”) is known as a "Vues d'optique," "Perspektivansichten," or “Perspective Print.” It was intended to be viewed inside of a peep box through a concave lens and mirror(a device known as a zograscope) that makes the scene appear three-dimensional. This image is a German artist’s interpretation of the statue’s removal, with inaccurate portrayals of colonial American architecture and clothing, but it illustrates a growing European interest in the revolution abroad.
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This print notably depicts a multiracial crowd of colonists, with free and enslaved Black men participating in the statue’s demolition. This detail possibly reflects the hope that enslaved African Americans might also win their freedom through the Revolutionary War.
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This artifact, as well as other coveted documents from early American history, is currently displayed at the Newberry Library’s Free and Independent exhibition. This exhibition is open and free to the public until July 18, 2026.

Join us for a day-long set of America 250 activities on Saturday, June 6. Danielle Allen and Scott Stephenson will take a deep dive into the history, impact, and contemporary resonance of the Declaration of Independence in this hour-long conversation. The discussion will be followed by a book signing of Dr. Allen’s latest book, "Radical Duke." Dr. Allen recently authored an op-ed in the New York Times where she reflected on the Declaration and positive trends in civics education across the United States. Click the link to read her article: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/17/opinion/civic-education-return.html?unlocked_article_code=1.jlA.EJHw.ZjCZVBxa6qPD&smid=url-share

The day kicks off at 10am with a living history experience in Washington Square Park, directly across the street from the Newberry. The Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Illinois and the Museum of the American Revolution will be coming together to display the Museum's hand-sewn replica of General George Washington's dining tent in the park.

About our speakers for this free public program (registration required):

Dr. Danielle Allen is a Professor of Political Philosophy, Public Policy, and Ethics at Harvard University as well as a distinguished author and mom.

Dr. R. Scott Stephenson is the President and CEO of the Museum of the American Revolution.