Reliving the American Revolution: USA250 Anniversary Program Part 2

Film & Lecture 2: Thursday, October 29, 2026, 6:30 to 8:00pm; the Salt Lake City Public Library’s Nancy Tessman Auditorium, 210 East 400 South, Salt Lake City, UT. Parking at the Salt Lake City Public Library is free with validation. Screening of the film The Declaration of Independence (Warner Bro. film short, 1938; winner of the Academy Awards Best Short Subject in 1939) with an introduction by film historian Dr. James V. D’Arc (retired, BYU). In the short film “The Declaration of Independence,” released in 1938, Caesar Rodney’s ride to the Pennsylvania State House (now Independence Hall) in Philadelphia takes center stage as a pivotal event in the struggle for American Independence. Indeed, Rodney broke the tie in the Delaware delegation to the Continental Congress on the question of Independence, helping to secure a vote in the affirmative on that question in the Congress on July 2, 1776. By focusing on this event, the film demonstrates how precarious the vote on American Independence was. It further raises questions of “What If?” — What if Rodney had not arrived in time? What if Americans had not declared their Independence from Great Britain? While my presentation will point out some historical inaccuracies in the film, I will also discuss the value of the film in highlighting broad themes of liberty and historical contingency that are essential to understanding the moment of American Independence. Historian Michelle Orihel is an Associate Professor of History at Southern Utah University. Her research focuses on the politics and print culture of revolutionary America and the Atlantic world. Most recently, her essay on American Independence was published in the new three volume series, The Cambridge History of the American Revolution (2025). Historian Michelle Orihel is an Associate Professor of History at Southern Utah University. Her research focuses on the politics and print culture of revolutionary America and the Atlantic world. Most recently, her essay on American Independence was published in the new three volume series, The Cambridge History of the American Revolution (2025).