The J. Willard Marriott Library has presented a new exhibition, America in the Archive: The Many Voices of Democracy, which commemorates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Curated by Rachel A. Ernst and Amanda Hurtado, the exhibition uses archival materials to explore the complex, intertwined stories of the nation's history, moving beyond linear narratives to highlight both recorded histories and gaps in the record.
The exhibition explores how the repercussions of the American Revolution rippled across the continent. Curators addressed the challenge of using archival materials specific to the American West that are temporally distant from 1776, noting that the University of Utah was founded in 1850 and Utah did not become a state until 1896.
Starting with a facsimile of the Declaration of Independence from Peter Force’s American Archives, the display moves through time. It begins with indigenous histories that predate European colonization and progresses through the thinkers who established the groundwork for American democracy and the westward movement of settlers as cartographic boundaries changed.
The exhibition concludes with an empty mirrored case intended for viewers to reflect on their own stories and consider adding their unique voices to the Marriott Library’s Special Collections.
America in the Archive: The Many Voices of Democracy is located on level 4 of the J. Willard Marriott Library and will remain on display until September 9, 2026. Exhibition tours with a curator are available upon request via email.
