We the People: Commemorating 250 Years of the Declaration of Independence

As we mark 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Grosvenor Room invites you to consider our region and our nation as a quilt of democracy — consisting of many communities, histories, and identities joined and shaped by many hands.

This is a multipart exhibit featuring materials from the Grosvenor Room including:

Piecing Together Our Past: Preserving the Documents of a Nation
An exploration of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library's  collection of rare material that documents and adds to the understanding of American history.

The Patchwork of Our Community: Celebrating Who We Are
Families, cultural traditions, organizations, and shared experiences form the fabric of our community, represented here as quilt squares. Joined together, these individual pieces suggest that community is not singular - but collective — built through many stories, connections, and identities woven together into a diverse whole.

The Fabric of Place: Maps, Data & Our Shared Sense of History
The Library's map collection provides a glimpse of history as  a visual display.

The We the People Community Quilt Project features quilt squares created by Erie County residents of all ages.  Created in partnership with Explore & More: The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Children's Museum, member Libraries and the Library's Mobile Services team, and funded with the genrous support of Erie County.

To explore individual items in the exhibit use the browse collections function.