Declarations of Independence: Who Are The People?
LAS Faculty Research Symposium
When
Apr 13, 2026
9:00am–7:00pm
Cost
Free. Registration is required.
Hybrid: In-person & Livestreamed via YouTube
This event is presented by UIC's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Declarations of Independence: Who Are The People? is an interdisciplinary, day-long public program that will highlight the scholarship, creative production, and teaching of UIC’s faculty and graduate students as we grapple with the myriad meanings of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Many consider this event and the subsequent revolution is considered a defining moment for the creation of the United States, an expression of the nation’s democratic ideals, and a model for revolutionary movements around the world.
For the 250th anniversary, UIC’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences will host notable historians, legal scholars, and political theorists to join our colleagues in robust conversations about who constitutes the nation and the state of Illinois, and how freedom has been understood and experienced since the eighteenth century. The symposium will also feature interactive activities and opportunities for students and community members to contribute to the discussion.
Several themes guide this LAS Faculty Research Symposium:
- Declarations in history—at the time of the Declaration of Independence, what was the impact on the sovereign nations that inhabited the land? Who was a citizen or non-citizen? How did migrants and settlers understand what it meant to be an independent nation? How did the American declaration influence those beyond the U.S.?
- Declarations in perspective—what is the role of memory and commemoration today? Who is the “we” in “We the People”? How do we understand challenges to freedom and independence in the current national context? How do we teach through differing theoretical and methodological lenses?
Program Schedule:
- 9:00 AM: Welcome from Dean Lisa A. Freeman
- 9:10 AM: Illinois Humanities Executive Director Gabrielle Lyon
- 9:15 AM: Conversation 1: Martha Jones & Desmond King
- 10:30 AM: Break
- 10:45 AM: "The People: Law, Citizenship, State" UIC Faculty Panel
- 12:30 PM: Lunch & interactive exploration
- 2:00 PM: Conversation 2: Doug Kiel & Christy Pichichero
- 3:15 PM: Break
- 3:30 PM: "The People: Sovereignty, Land, Revolution" UIC Faculty Panel
- 4:45 PM: Break
- 5:00 PM: Keynote Address: Jelani Cobb
*Program is subject to change
This event is part of Illinois America 250, "an inclusive, statewide commemoration that uplifts local stories, places and programs, builds pride and showcases how Illinoisians bring the ideals of Declaration of Independence to life."
For more information about this event, visit las.uic.edu or email Victoria Bolf at LASEvents@uic.edu.
Contact
Suite 650, 125 South Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60603
312.422.5580 312.374.6787 Fax
Illinois Humanities is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Illinois General Assembly [through the Illinois Arts Council], as well as by contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporations.
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Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed by speakers, program participants, or audiences do not necessarily reflect those of the NEH, Illinois Humanities, our partnering organizations, or our funders.
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