A "Dunlap broadside" is one of 25 original printings of the United States' Declaration of Independence. U.S. Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence is the document in which the Thirteen Colonies declared themselves independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain and explained their justifications for doing so. ...

On the night of July 4, 1776, John Dunlap of Philadelphia printed approximately 200 copies of the newly drafted and approved Declaration of Independence. Philadelphia is a village located in Jefferson County, New York. ... U.S. Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence is the document in which the Thirteen Colonies declared themselves independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain and explained their justifications for doing so. ...

As of 1989, only 24 copies of the Dunlap broadsides were known to exist, until a flea market shopper bought a framed painting for four dollars. While inspecting a tear in the painting, the owner discovered a folded Dunlap broadside behind it.

This 25th copy of the Dunlap broadside was authenticated by Sotheby's and an independent expert. In June 2000, Lyn and Norman Lear purchased the document on Sotheby's online auction. Since then Lear has toured the document around the United States with the Independence Road Trip and Declare Yourself. Sothebys is a noted auction house. ... Norman Lear (born July 27, 1922) is an American television writer and producer who produced shows such as All in the Family, Sanford and Son and Maude. ... Sothebys is a noted auction house. ... The online auction business model is one in which participants bid for products and services over the internet. ...

Of the 25 surviving copies of the Dunlap broadside, 21 copies belong to universities, historical societies, public libraries and city halls. The remaining four are in private hands, although promised to public collections. A university is an institution of higher education and of research, which grants academic degrees. ... Librarians and patrons in a typical larger urban public library A public library is a library which is accessible by the public and is often operated by civil servants and funded from public sources. ...

External links

• Declare Yourself
• Independence Road Trip