Michiganders are invited to join communities across the nation today at 6 pm in reading the Declaration of Independence aloud at the exact same time – a tribute to July 8, 1776, when the document was first publicly read to American colonists after its adoption.

The event, called Sharing the Spirit of America, is part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration and aims to bring neighbors together in courthouses, libraries, parks, museums, campuses and town squares to reflect on the principles that launched a new nation.

Organizers have created an interactive map to help participants find a reading location near them. Whether you know every line or have never read it from start to finish, this is a chance to hear the words that declared liberty, self-government and equal rights – not in a history book, but out loud with fellow Americans.