Wake Forest Special Collections & Archives Photo
Reading the Revolution: Print Culture in 18th Century America
Wake Forest University

April 2 to December 31, 2026

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36.1354887, -80.2792887

Venue

Wake Forest University
Z. Smith Reynolds Library, 2100 Eure Drive, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA
Winston-Salem
America 250, Arts & Culture, Free events

About

Wake Forest University's Special Collections and Archives marks this semiquincentennial year with an exhibit of Revolutionary war-era materials from our Rare Books Collection. Featuring printed texts and maps from Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, Phillis Wheatley Peters, and many others, Reading the Revolution offers visitors a first-hand look at the lives of readers, writers, printers, and publishers in the century of revolution. 

The history of the Revolution is inseparable from the history of print culture in 18th-century America. Before any shots were fired, the American War of Independence was fought on paper, as polemics and propaganda circulated in newspapers, magazines, books, and pamphlets. During the war both sides used printed texts and maps to strategize and communicate with allies. In the aftermath of the conflict, the new nation took shape in the output of American authors and publishers. The materials on exhibit here capture the passionate beliefs and complex political arguments of this pivotal era in American history. 

Reading the Revolution is curated by Megan Mulder, Special Collections Librarian and Curator of Rare Books at the Z. Smith Reynolds Library. The exhibit is on view in the Special Collections and Archives research room (ZSR Library room 625) through December 2026. Open hours are 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday - Friday, through May 8; by appointment May 9 - August 23; and 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday - Friday, August 24 - December 11. 

For more information about this exhibit, or to schedule groups tours or viewings outside of our regular hours, please contact [email protected].

Other Dates

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