This July, we celebrate the 250th birthday of the American Declaration of Independence. The celebrations revolve around that fateful July 4th, and rightfully so, but often overlooked in the festivities is the nature of the Founders to want a good and smart nation. Enlightenment era math, science, and philosophy occupied much of the late-night eating and drinking get-togethers of the Founding Fathers. But the urge to create lasting change came long before 1776.
A prime example is that of young Benjamin Franklin. By the time of the Declaration, he was the most famous American in the world, due to his breakthroughs in the science of electricity. He was a veritable rock star in Europe. But he had worked for the greater good even as a young man. Access to education and the written knowledge of the world had long been a priority for him. Because literacy and learning are where betterment begins.
Having come from humble beginnings, access to education for all was something he cared deeply about. In 1731, libraries were private collections, things that only the wealthy had access to. So Franklin, together with the Junto Club (a sort of think-tank of shopkeepers and tradesmen he cobbled together), created the Library Company of Philadelphia, very first public lending library in the Colonies. Members collected and donated books, found a home for them, and opened it to everyone. A subscription was required, but farmers, merchants, clerks, furniture-makers, blacksmiths, and anyone else could then come in and borrow books.
In his autobiography, Franklin later said that their modest little library “made the common tradesmen and farmers as intelligent as most gentlemen from other countries,” and was a building block for democracy. It was a revolution in the making, one that grew legs and led to the creation of libraries in towns across the Colonies.
FWF takes the long view held by Franklin and friends. We work towards expanding and improving literacy, knowing that it builds and provides opportunities for all citizens, strengthens us all, and helps America march toward its 500th anniversary.
Image attribution Benjamin Franklin, 1706-1790: “Franklin Opening 1st Subscription Library in Phila.” Library of Congress.
As we celebrate the 250th, I’m glad to see Ben Franklin recognized for his efforts to convince people that democracy was needed. I wish more recognition was given to Thomas Paine for his contributions through Common Sense and the crisis papers and his book, The Rights of Man.