Threads of Democracy

The Threads of Democracy project celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and aims to inspire community members of all ages to express their connection to America. 

The project is centered around the book Betsy Ross and the Making of America, by historian Marla R. Miller. Her research interests lie in women in textiles during the 18th century, and her book on Betsy Ross plays a central role in this project.

Threads of Democracy runs from September 2026 through the summer of 2027. Events include a kick-off celebration for America 250, an author talk, several thematic book talks, and a Community Quilt Project.

Please explore the event calendar below to find ways to get involved with the Threads of Democracy project.

This project was supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.

We could not have done this project without several valuable community and University partners. The BGSU Center for Archival Collections (CAC) is a pivotal partner in the Threads of Democracy Community Quilt Project. It will oversee the archiving of each quilt square and the preservation of the whole quilts after they have been displayed. The Threads of Democracy Collection will be available online for all to view, including quilt historians, social scientists and humanities researchers of the 2020s and others interested in how the people of northwest Ohio viewed the semiquicentennial celebration and democracy in 2026.

We are also extremely grateful to the Wood County District Public Library, host of the kickoff event, the author talk with Marla R. Miller, and other programmatic events. As the central drop-off location for the quilt squares, we also want to thank the front desk staff for fielding many questions about this project.

The Wood County Committee on Aging has also been a great help in the Threads of Democracy project.