John Adams’ Letters to Abigail, Narrated by Sara Georgini
Dr. Sara Georgini is an American historian, author, and Series Editor for the ‘Papers of John Adams,’ at the Adams Papers Editorial Project at the Massachusetts Historical Society. Georgini shares how John Adams, writing to his wife Abigail in 1776, envisioned generations of Americans celebrating independence with pomp and parade—right about everything but the date.
You can see the Adamses’ revolutionary words on display right now in the 1776 Declaring Independence exhibit, open and free at the Massachusetts Historical Society. Happy 2d of July!
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Notes
Unless otherwise noted, all images used in this video are in the public domain.
Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, 3 July 1776
Original manuscript from the Adams Family Papers, Massachusetts Historical Society.
https://www.masshist.org/digitaladams/archive/doc?id=L17760703jasecond
Loved this episode. I am not celebrating this year. When the midterms come, and we take back the house, and possibly the senate, then I will celebrate!
Of course the reason we celebrate on July 4th and not July 2nd is partially John Adams’s fault. His death, along with that of Thomas Jefferson, on July 4, 1826, cemented the 4th as America’s national day.