Grant-funded partnership brings lectures, interactive exhibits, book discussions and free copies of the Constitution and Declaration of Independence as the community marks the nation’s 250th anniversary.
The Folsom Public Library and Folsom History have joined forces this summer to present USA 250, a community-wide series of educational programs commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Funded through a grant from the California Library Association, the collaborative series is designed to encourage residents of all ages to explore the nation’s founding ideals while reflecting on America’s past, present and future through lectures, exhibits, reading opportunities and hands-on activities.
The USA 250 series offers several ways for the community to participate throughout July, beginning with a public lecture by Zachary Vaccarezza, engagement manager for Folsom History. The presentation, titled around the evolving understanding of the American Revolution over the past 250 years, will take place Saturday, July 25, at 11 a.m. in the Folsom Public Library Meeting Room.
Another centerpiece of the series is Looking Back, Looking Forward: A USA 250 Time Capsule Experience, an interactive exhibit hosted at The Square, 196 Wool Street in Historic Folsom. Open Saturdays and Sundays throughout July from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the exhibit pairs major milestones in American history with key moments in Folsom’s past.
Visitors will explore a timeline beginning with Native American history and continuing through Spanish and Mexican governance, the Bear Flag Revolt, the California Gold Rush and California statehood. Through reproduction artifacts and interactive displays, participants will learn how everyday objects become historical evidence before creating their own personal time capsule that connects their individual story to the nation’s 250-year journey.
The Folsom Public Library is also offering four book discussion kits for checkout, each containing 15 copies of the same title along with sample discussion questions designed for community groups, book clubs and classrooms. Featured books include This Land is Your Land: A Road Trip Through U.S. History by Beverly Gage, 1776 by David McCullough, We the Women by Norah O’Donnell and African Founders by David Hackett Fischer.
In recognition of the nation’s semiquincentennial, the library will also distribute 250 free copies of the United States Constitution and the Declaration of Independence while supplies last.
Organizers say the programs were created to encourage thoughtful discussion while making history accessible and engaging for the community.
“Celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States of America provides each of us an exciting opportunity to reexamine the successes and shortcomings of this nation, our state, and even our local communities,” said Tyler Tocci, executive director of Folsom History. “The programs we are offering have the goal of sparking thoughtful dialogue and introspection about how this nation was founded, our experiences today, and what the future may hold.”
Community members are encouraged to participate in one or all of the events as an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the first 250 years of American independence while strengthening connections within the local community.
The USA 250 program is supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.
The Folsom Public Library, located at 411 Stafford St., serves as Sacramento County’s busiest library, circulating more than 500,000 items annually while offering storytimes, book clubs, author events, public computers, free Wi-Fi and community programming. Folsom History, founded in 1961, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and sharing the city’s history through the Folsom History Museum and The Square in Historic Folsom.
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