In this episode, historian Emily Sneff discusses her new book, When the Declaration of Independence Was News, which 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. The book explores how the Declaration was communicated to people in the new nation and across the Atlantic world and reveals the stories of the many people involved in declaring independence, from printers to soldiers to diplomats to translators. Julie Silverbrook, chief content and learning officer at the National Constitution Center, moderates.
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This episode was produced and mixed by Bill Pollock. With production support from Charles Sahm. Research was provided by Anna Salvatore, Trey Sullivan, and Tristan Worsham.
Participants
Emily Sneff is a historian of the founding era and a leading expert on the Declaration of Independence. She earned her Ph.D. in History from William and Mary. She is a consulting curator for exhibitions marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration at the Museum of the American Revolution and Historic Trappe.
Julie Silverbrook is chief content and learning officer at the National Constitution Center where she leads the strategy, development, and delivery of the Center’s content, public programs, and educational initiatives, advancing its mission of nonpartisan constitutional education and civil dialogue.
Additional Resources
- Emily Sneff, When the Declaration of Independence Was News (2026)
- “‘When the Declaration of Independence Was News’ Review: Breaking Story,” Wall Street Journal (April 3, 2026)
- Dunlap Broadside (First printing of the Declaration of Independence)
- Goddard Broadside (First printing of the Declaration of Independence with signers’ names)
- National Constitution Center, Annotated Declaration of Independence
Excerpt from interview: Emily Sneff on the gradual spread of awareness of the Declaration of Independence after July 4, 1776
Emily Sneff: Only people within a very small radius of the Pennsylvania State House knew about the Declaration of Independence on July 4th. News spread at a pace that's very different than what we experience today… As the Declaration spread, it intersected with different news moments and different proceedings in the Revolutionary War, treaty negotiations, all sorts of personal situations that were changing over the course of the summer.
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