 Yale University's copy of the Dunlap broadside The Dunlap broadsides were the first published copies of the United States Declaration of Independence, printed on the night of July 4, 1776, by John Dunlap of Philadelphia. It is unknown exactly how many broadsides were originally printed, but the number is estimated at about 200. PrintingOn July 4, 1776, Congress ordered the same committee charged with writing the document to "superintend and correct the press", that is, supervise the printing. Dunlap, an Irish immigrant then 29 years old, was tasked with the job; he apparently spent much of the night of July 4 setting type, correcting it, and running off the broadside sheets. [ for Widmer, Ted, , oped commentary article, The New York Times, July 4, 2008, accessed July 7, 2008]"There is evidence it was done quickly, and in excitement — watermarks are reversed, some copies look as if they were folded before the ink could dry and bits of punctuation move around from one copy to another," according to Ted Widmer, author of Ark of the Liberties: America and the World. "It is romantic to think that Benjamin Franklin, the greatest printer of his day, was there in Dunlap's shop to supervise, and that Jefferson, the nervous author, was also close at hand."
John Adams later wrote that, "We were all in haste."
The Dunlap broadsides were sent across the colonies over the next two days, including to George Washington, who directed that the Declaration be read to the troops. Another copy was sent to England.Surviving copiesThe original handwritten Declaration of July 4, "Signed by Order and in Behalf of the Congress, JOHN HANCOCK, President. Attest, CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary" (taken from bottom of Dunlap broadside) that was sent from Congress to Dunlap has been lost.
As of 1989, only 24 copies of the Dunlap broadside were known to exist, until a flea market shopper bought a framed painting for four dollars. While inspecting a tear in the lining behind the painting, the owner discovered a folded Dunlap broadside. This 25th copy of the Dunlap broadside was authenticated by Sotheby's and an independent expert. In June 2000, Norman Lear partnered with David Hayden to purchase the document at an online Sotheby's auction. They paid $8.14 million.
Since then Lear has toured the document around the United States with the Independence Road Trip and Declare Yourself. On a visit to Las Vegas, Nevada, the Declaration was displayed at the Madame Tussaud's museum near wax figures of Elvis Presley, Evel Knievel and Hugh Hefner. It has also traveled to San Diego and Salt Lake City.
On July 2, 2009, it was announced that a 26th Dunlap broadside was discovered in the The National Archives in Kew, England by a researcher cataloging a box of random old documents. It is currently unknown how this copy came to the archive, but one possibility is that it was captured from an American coastal ship intercepted during the War of Independence.
Of the 26 surviving copies of the Dunlap broadside, 21 copies belong to universities (The Lilly Library at Indiana University, Harvard University, Princeton University, Yale University, two copies at the University of Virginia, and Williams College), historical societies, museums (e.g. the American Independence Museum in Exeter, New Hampshire), public libraries and a city hall. The remaining four are in private hands, although promised to public collections.List of copiesThe 26 known Dunlap broadside copies listed by location within the United States (or last known location), alphabetically by state, then city; followed by the traveling copy in the United States and three copies in London, United Kingdom:
- Maine, Portland — Maine Historical Society — given to the society in 1893 at the bequest of John S. H. Fogg.
- New York, New York (last known location) — sold by the New York Historical Society to a private collector in the United States.
- Pennsylvania, Philadelphia — Historical Society of Pennsylvania — fragment including the first 32 lines; thought to be likely an uncorrected proof; from the Frank M. Ketting collection; Ketting asserted it was this document that had been read in public; however, Charles Henry Hart wrote in 1900: "The endorsement is in the handwriting of the late Frank M. Etting, who died insane, one of the most inexact and inaccurate of collectors."
- Texas, Dallas — Dallas Public Library — "The Leary Copy" discovered in 1968 amid the stock of Leary's Book Store of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in a crate that had been unopened since 1911. Ira G. Corn Jr. and Joseph P. Driscoll of Dallas bought the manuscript on May 7, 1969. A group of 17 people later sold it to the Dallas city government.
- Roving copy, traveling around the United States — found in the back of a picture frame bought at a yard sale for $4.00 at an Adamstown, Pennsylvania flea market; now owned by a consortium which includes Norman Lear; sold in 2000 for $8.14 million; previously sold for $2.42 million on June 4, 1991
- United Kingdom, London — Public Record Office, Colonial Office Papers — General William Howe and Vice Admiral Richard Howe from the flagship Eagle, off Staten Island, sent this copy with a letter dated August 11, 1776, which stated, "A printed copy of this Declaration of Independency came accidentally to our hands a few days after the dispatch of the Mercury packet, and we have the honor to enclose it."
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