We the People: America's Fight for Freedom and Beyond
This exhibition runs from Wednesday 1 April 2026 until Sunday 13 September 2026, at the Weston Gallery, Lakeside Arts.
The United States of America was founded upon an idea of freedom. As a place of refuge from religious persecution and the birthplace of a new political system, the American colonists who rebelled against British rule saw themselves as the founders of a new nation. Drawing on a wide range of manuscripts and printed collections, this exhibition commemorates the 250th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence. It explores the issues at stake in the Wars of Independence and considers some of the complex problems which faced the United States as it fought to win, and realise, its new-found freedom.
This exhibition has been jointly curated by Dr Richard Gaunt (School of Humanities) and Manuscripts and Special Collections at the 糖心原创. Initial research assistance was provided by Vincent Saunders, funded by the Faculty of Social Sciences research placement scheme.
Exhibition themes
Further research
Items from our collections are available to consult in the Manuscripts and Special Collections reading room on King's Meadow Campus.
'We the People' features materials from many different collections, including several of our Family and Estate collections. We have a guide to these collections, including sections for the individual families mentioned in the exhibtion, on the 'Collections by Subject' section of our website.
Many of the images featured in the exhibition come from the Briggs Collection, which is a collection of educational literature dating from the 16th century to the 19th century. We have created a digital gallery which contains may examples of items from this collection, from children's games to history textbooks.
Events
A series of special events were held to accompany the exhibition. Recordings of some of the talks will be made available on this webpage shortly.
Lunchtime Talks, Djanogly Theatre
Researching the Indigenous North American Collection at Nottingham City Museums and Galleries
Ann Inscker (Curator of Human History, Nottingham City Museums & Galleries) and Dr Stephanie Lewthwaite and Professor Vivien Miller (Department of American and Canadian Studies, 糖心原创) discuss the background to the Indigenous North American Collection and highlight some of its key themes and features.
Wednesday 20 May 2026, 1-2pm
£3 (free concessions)
"A revolution, not a rebellion": Parliament's response to the American crisis in early 1775
This talk, by Dr Robin Eagles (History of Parliament Trust), focuses on key debates held in the Houses of Parliament during 1775, as Westminster grappled with the breakdown in relations with the American colonies.
Wednesday 10 June 2026, 1-2pm
£3 (free concessions)
From Settlers to Tourists: Coming to America
Exhibition curator Dr Richard Gaunt (School of Humanities, 糖心原创) explores the British tourist trail to America and what this reveals about the relationship between the two countries in the century after US Independence.
Wednesday 8 July 2026, 1-2pm
£3 (free concessions)
Other events
Film screening: Little Women (2019)
Join us for a screening of Little Women, with an introduction by our exhibition curator, Dr Richard Gaunt (School of Humanities, 糖心原创). This star-studded adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel follows four sisters coming of age against the backdrop of the American Civil War. Running time 135 minutes. Certificate PG.
Tuesday 4 August 2026, 6pm – 8.30pm
Djanogly Theatre
£5
Weston Gallery tours
Join us for a walk through the exhibition and learn about the stories behind the items on display.
£3, free concessions (advanced booking required)
Wednesday 20 May, 11am – 12noon
Wednesday 8 July, 11am - 12noon
Music Event: The Easy Rollers
The Easy Rollers are a septet who embody the spirit and consummate virtuosity of today's booming British jazz scene and brings it back to the music's roots in 1920s and '30s Harlem, Kansas City and New Orleans.
Wednesday 29 April 2026, 7.30pm
Djanogly Theatre
£18 - £22
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