Josephine Community Library is set to launch “Declaration 250,” an eight-part public history series commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The program begins Thursday, September 4, 2025, and continues monthly through May 2026 at the Grants Pass branch from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. All sessions are free to the public.
The series will be led by Lois MacMillan, an award-winning educator and nationally recognized history teacher. MacMillan, who has earned accolades including Oregon History Teacher of the Year and Southern Oregon Teacher of the Year, is known for her engaging approach to civic education. She has participated in fellowships at Monticello, Ford’s Theatre, and the James Madison estate, and has received national recognition for integrating music into non-music classrooms.
Each presentation will connect the events and philosophies of 1776 to their global impact, exploring how the principles of liberty, equality, and independence influenced political movements around the world. Topics range from the birth of modern democracy and the origins of the civil rights movement to the expansion of women’s rights and the fall of empires. The series will also examine the twentieth-century legacies of the Declaration and invite audiences to reflect on its modern relevance.
While most events will be held at the Grants Pass branch, the Illinois Valley branch will host two sessions: one in October focusing on the origins of the civil rights movement, and another in April highlighting twentieth-century legacies.
Complementing the series will be a traveling Declaration of Independence exhibit curated by Dr. James Basker and Sandy Trenholm of the Gilder Lehrman Institute. The exhibit will be displayed at the Grants Pass branch in September and at the Illinois Valley branch in October, after which it will be available for loan to schools and community organizations for three-week periods. Interested groups can request the exhibit through the library’s main contact channels.
MacMillan, currently teaching American and World History at Grants Pass High School, says the project offers a unique opportunity to connect local audiences with pivotal moments in world history. She notes that while figures like Thomas Jefferson are historically complex—praised for their visionary ideas yet criticized for their personal contradictions—their work continues to inspire global movements for freedom and self-determination.
Josephine Community Library District, which operates branches in Grants Pass, Illinois Valley, Williams, and Wolf Creek, was formed in 2017 as a special district. In addition to lending books and providing public internet access, the library offers programs supporting literacy, education, and civic engagement for residents of all ages.
More information about “Declaration 250” and other library programs is available at josephinelibrary.org, by calling 541-476-0571, or by emailing info@josephinelibrary.org.