One Book, One Island: 1776

The Martha's Vineyard Library Association invites you to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence by reading 1776 by David McCullough, and joining an all-Island book discussion led by constitutional scholar and author Jack Fruchtman, 3pm Saturday, July 11th at the West Tisbury Library. Copies of 1776 are available at all island libraries for check out.

Based on extensive research in both American and British archives, 1776 is the story of Americans in the ranks, men of every shape, size, and color, farmers, schoolteachers, shoemakers, no-accounts, and mere boys turned soldiers. And it is the story of the British commander, William Howe, and his highly disciplined redcoats who looked on their rebel foes with contempt and fought with a valor too little known. But it is the American commander-in-chief who stands foremost -- Washington, who had never before led an army in battle.

Jack Fruchtman, who lives in Aquinnah, taught constitutional law and politics for over 40 years. He is the author of seven books and has edited, coedited, or annotated another seven. He has written studies of the thought of Thomas Paine, Benjamin Franklin, Benjamin Rush, and Joseph Priestley, among other eighteenth-century figures. His most recent books are American Constitutional History (second edition, 2022) and The Supreme Court and Constitutional Law (fourth edition, 2025).

This program is sponsored by the Martha’s Vineyard Library Association & The WETA Grant Fund.