The history of the United States was shaped by ordinary people undertaking extraordinary acts. Two hundred and fifty years after the Revolutionary War and the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we continue to celebrate, reflect upon, and critically examine the ideals set forth at the nation’s founding. To whom were these promises made? How are people working today to make sure those promises are kept?

Featuring over 100 artworks and documentary materials from the Boston Public Library’s Special Collections—prints, photographs, paintings, sculpture, and more—this exhibition brings to light both familiar and lesser-known stories about America’s ongoing struggle for freedom, civil rights, and belonging for all. Highlights include early portraits of Benjamin Franklin, General George Washington, and Crispus Attucks, as well as works by Boston-area artists including Toni Pepe, Robert Tomolillo, and Caleb Cole.