Name: When the Declaration of Independence was News
Start: 2026-06-14T14:00:00-04:00
End: 2026-06-14T15:30:00-04:00
Location: 881 Rockford Rd, Lancaster, PA, United States, Pennsylvania 17602

Historic Rock Ford's America250 Lecture Series presents "When the Declaration of Independence was News." Presenter Emily Sneff focuses on the nation’s founding document at the moment of its creation in 1776, before anyone knew what the legacy of the Declaration would be or if the United States would win the war against Great Britain. It explores how the Declaration was communicated to people in the new nation and around the Atlantic world and reveals the stories of the many people involved in the process of declaring independence, from printers to soldiers to diplomats to translators.
This presentation will begin at 2 PM in the Langmuir Education Room located on the first floor of the Rock Ford Barn. Prior to the lecture, attendees may visit the Snyder Gallery and our 2026 Focus Exhibit. The Snyder Gallery closes at 4 PM.
About the Presenter: Emily Sneff is a historian of early America and a leading expert on the Declaration of Independence. She received her Ph.D. in history from William & Mary. She is a consulting curator for museum exhibitions commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.