“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal...”

And so it begins.

In just 17 days, Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) penned the Declaration of Independence, a document of courage and clarity that reshaped the world. With deep conviction, he gave voice to the soul of the Thirteen Colonies, setting in motion the dream of a free America.

“I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it,” Jefferson once wrote. Those words still echo today.

His declaration, approved by the Continental Congress, stands as a masterpiece of writing, a beacon of freedom that has inspired generations to believe in the promise of life, happiness, and something greater than ourselves.

“All authority belongs to the people,” he reminded us.

As our third President, Jefferson expanded the nation through the Louisiana Purchase and championed enlightenment ideals. He believed deeply in educating the public: “Enlighten the people generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like evil spirits at the dawn of day.”

Thank you, Thomas Jefferson, for your faith in freedom and your gift of words that continue to lift the human spirit. Jefferson’s belief in the people still speaks across centuries. Let us carry that faith forward—with humility, with courage, and with love.