We the People is a Duke and Durham collaboration that marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence through a series of public events examining the nation’s evolving identity. Drawing from the opening words of the Constitution, the project asks us to consider who “the people” have been, and who we aspire to be, within the ongoing story of the United States. Through performances, exhibitions, conversations, and other programs taking place through the spring of 2027, We the People brings together arts and scholarship to help us interpret our shared history and imagine our collective future.
When rare copies of the Declaration of Independence arrive in Durham this fall, first at the Durham County Main Library, then at the Nasher Museum of Art, visitors will have the opportunity to encounter one of the nation’s founding documents in a new context. The exhibition serves as an anchor for a year of performances, exhibitions, scholarship and public conversations across Duke that ask a broader set of questions: Who belongs? Whose voices have shaped the nation’s story? And how can the arts help people engage thoughtfully with the complexities of the past and present?
This fall includes a free public exhibition of historic copies of the Declaration, including an official full-sized 1823 facsimile engraved by William J. Stone (known as a Stone Declaration) alongside two historic broadside copies by Benjamin Owen Tyler (1818) and John Binns (1819). The exhibition invites reflection on the nation’s founding ideals and their continuing relevance today.
Historic copies of the Declaration of Independence are on loan from the David M. Rubenstein Americana Collection.
Durham County Main Library (Downtown Durham):
September 8–20, 2026
Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University:
September 24, 2026 – January 3, 2027
Fireside chat with author and Egan Visiting Professor Rick Atkinson.
Auditions for Duke University Students. “Witch” by Jen Silverman Directed by Rebecca Wahls Seeking an Actor to play the role of Scratch. If you would like to read the script, …
Round out your Labor Day weekend with one of Duke’s most anticipated musical traditions! The Duke Symphony Orchestra launches its 2026-27 season with a lively outdoor concert on the East …
Encounter three rare historic prints of the Declaration of Independence—including an official 1823 Stone Declaration—at the Durham County Main Library and the Nasher Museum of Art. Presented as part of “We the People,” the exhibition invites reflection on the nation’s founding ideals and their continuing relevance today.
Two-time Grammy Award–winning songwriter Patty Griffin is one of the most beloved voices in American folk and Americana. For more than two decades, she has written songs that capture the small moments and big emotions that shape everyday life.
AGS invites you to join us to honor the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. We will begin with a panel discussion at 3:00 p.m. featuring Duke professors Rachel …
Use running stitches to create accents and all over design to embellish your clothing and textile projects.
From NPR’s Tiny Desk to award-winning screen work, banjoist and songwriter Kaia Kater fuses folk, bluegrass, and contemporary roots music to tell stories of heritage and home.
Durham’s shirlette ammons brings her acclaimed album Language Barrier home for a special 10th anniversary performance featuring Lizz Wright, Phil Cook, and other guest artists.
In Sacred Spaces, Alvin Ailey’s Associate Artistic Director Matthew Rushing and Co-creator and Musical Director Du’Bois A’Keen revisit the legacy and spirituality of Revelations.
The Duke Department of Music invites you to our first Biddle Community Day! Join us as we open our doors and welcome the broader Triangle and on-campus communities to experience …
As Durham’s signature fine arts festival, CenterFest showcases juried visual artists from the Triangle and across the country, alongside standout local performers on multiple stages. This year’s festival celebrates America 250!
Using carefully prepared materials, participants will learn to attach and coil longleaf pine needles around a gourd, crafting a unique bowl.
Students will be provided with a mini loom and selection of yarns. Together we will work through some simple weaving stitches and create something decorative.
Trailblazing comedian Mo Amer brings his sharp, deeply-personal stand-up to Durham to help kick off the Duke Arts Presents season. Known for his acclaimed series MO and three stand-up specials on Netflix, Amer has built a global following with comedy that blends personal storytelling, cultural insight, and fearless humor.
Drawing on folk and Americana traditions, Cherokee artist Ken Pomeroy creates quietly powerful songs whose poetic lyrics have appeared in “Reservation Dogs” and the “Twisters” soundtrack.
Ken Burns and David M. Rubenstein discuss civic engagement, leadership, and the nation’s founding ideals in this Duke exclusive event.
Join us for a screening of “Un Fandango en Carolina,” a collaborative documentary that tells the stories of the diasporic Sotaventino community in North Carolina through music, memory, and community …
Join local fiber artist Kimberley Pierce Cartwright for a hands-on quilting workshop that celebrates creativity, storytelling, and community.
Madison Cunningham moves between indie folk, rock, and art-pop, known for layered arrangements and fearless songwriting—an approach that earned her a Grammy Award for Best Folk Album.
In MAJOR, a dance-theater work by Ogemdi Ude, five Black femmes explore the power, memory, and physicality of majorette dance.
This two-hour workshop will cover the basics of screen printing: putting images on screens (making a stencil), ink mixing, and how to effectively use a squeegee.
This class introduces the traditions of Dia de Muertos. We will construct an ofrenda and learn how to produce paper cempaxochitl (marigolds) and papel picado (cut paper).
Celebrated British vocal ensemble VOCES8 explores the traditions that shape American choral music, from early voices like William Byrd to contemporary composers like Caroline Shaw.
Come learn about and paint calaveras and alebrijes for Dia de los Muertos!
Eleven-time GRAMMY Award–winning bassist Christian McBride leads Ursa Major, a powerhouse quintet with a high energy sound that celebrates the collaborative spirit of jazz.
Awadagin Pratt is one of the most distinctive pianists in American classical music. His program, America 250, traces the breadth of American voices from Florence Price to contemporary composers.
Learn the basics of screen printing and take home a limited edition print of the Declaration of Independence!
Take a deep dive into the Declaration of Independence.
The Ciompi Quartet, Duke University’s resident quartet, play a program rooted in U.S. musical traditions, from Samuel Barber’s powerful String Quartet, Op. 11 to Ben Johnston’s inventive quartet built around the hymn Amazing Grace.
Create your own original zine in this hands-on workshop exploring collage, bookbinding, and DIY publishing.
Taylor Mac and Matt Ray return to Duke with songs from their latest project, Bark of Millions. “An Evening from the Queer Songbook” is electrifying, provocative, and a celebration of queer history.
Use fabric scraps to relax and sink into an open ended collage project inspired by quilt squares.
Kings Return, one of the most exciting vocal groups in a cappella, returns for a special performance celebrating community, harmony, and the power of song.
A self-conducted ensemble redefining classical performance, Sphinx Virtuosi blends Stravinsky, Ravel, and Roberto Sierra with new works in a program shaped by the sounds and stories of America.
Ciompi Quartet performs Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring in its original chamber scoring for 13 instruments. Joined by musicians from the Durham Fellows Quartet, the program also features works by Stephen Jaffe and Osvaldo Golijov.
HopeBoykinDance returns to Duke with Cleo Parker Robinson Dance and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago for the premiere of “Troubled No More,” a celebration of gospel legend Pastor Shirley Caesar.
At the core of We the People are five guiding themes that orient the project’s vision, shaping how ideas take form across disciplines, spaces, and communities.
Civic Life and Democratic Participation
History, Identity, And Belonging
Community Voices and Lived Experience
Intersections of ARt, Research, and Public Dialogue
Future-Oriented Visions of Society, Community, or Democracy
The We the People steering committee invites all Duke units and community partners to share information about current or planned programming, coursework, or projects that align with the initiative’s themes.
This project is organized by a steering committee of unit representatives from throughout Duke University, with administrative coordination managed from within the Office of the Vice Provost for the Arts (Duke Arts).
Leadership support for We the People has been generously provided by David M. Rubenstein.
