Historic Exhibition Features County’s Holt Broadside

Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins, the Neuberger Museum of Art and SUNY Purchase have unveiled Westchester County’s Holt Broadside, which is featured in the exhibition, The Declaration Distributed: Westchester County’s Holt Broadside of 1776. The special exhibition, centered on New York State’s historic adoption and distribution of the Declaration of Independence, will feature Westchester County Government’s Holt Broadside edition of the Declaration of Independence. This edition is believed to be the document that was read in White Plains shortly after the Declaration was adopted.

Jenkins said, “We often talk about the founding of this nation as something that happened somewhere else, in Philadelphia, Boston or Washington, but this exhibition is a powerful reminder that Westchester County was part of that story from the very beginning. The Holt Broadside is not simply an old document preserved in an archive. It is evidence that the words of the Declaration of Independence were carried here, read here and shared here as the American Revolution unfolded in real time. Westchester County has proudly safeguarded this extraordinary artifact for generations, and as we approach the nation’s 250th anniversary, we are honored to partner with the Neuberger Museum of Art, SUNY Purchase, to share it with the public. This exhibition highlights not only the importance of preserving history, but also the important role Westchester County played in the founding of our nation and the ongoing story of American democracy.”
The Declaration Distributed: Westchester County’s Holt Broadside of 1776 will mark the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States and highlight Westchester County’s critical role in that founding. It will offer visitors a rare opportunity to view the document that helped bring the Declaration’s words to New York in 1776.

Purchase College President Michael E. Steiper, PhD said: “We are deeply grateful to Westchester County for choosing the Neuberger Museum at SUNY Purchase to exhibit this powerful and historic document. As a public campus, we are excited to welcome our students and the wider community of Westchester to visit and learn more about this document and the Revolutionary era history that surrounds us.”

State Senator Shelley Mayer said, “I am delighted to join County Executive Ken Jenkins, the Neuberger Museum of Art, and SUNY Purchase in unveiling Westchester County’s historic Holt Broadside and the display of a rare 18th-century edition of the Declaration of Independence. As we celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary, it is especially meaningful to reflect on the history that surrounds us and the ideals that continue to shape our democracy. Westchester County and New York State played a vital role in our nation’s founding, and our communities remain deeply connected to that legacy. I am grateful to everyone whose hard work made this exhibit possible and proud to celebrate the important role our community played in the history of the United States.”

Westchester County Board of Legislators Chairman Vedat Gashi said, “As someone who came to this country as an immigrant, standing before this copy of the Declaration of Independence is deeply personal. Like millions of people who have come to America seeking opportunity, freedom and the chance to build a better future, I have always viewed the ideals expressed in the Declaration as a promise that extends across generations. This exhibition reminds us that those ideals were not just written in history books, they were carried here to Westchester, read aloud in our community and became part of our shared story.”