Submitted Photo Dr. Zarah Moss will present the third part of her series “Revolutionary Talks” on June 4 at 7 p.m. She will discuss “Images of the Revolution: Looking at Portraits and Art that Centers on the Revolution” at the Heart of America Library.

Heart of America Library Director, Mandie Medalen, welcomed Dr. Zarah Moss on the evening of May 7 for the second installment of her series “Revolutionary Talks.” In this installment, titled “Voices of the Revolution: Letters from People during the Revolutionary Era,” Moss chose several letters to share, as well as a few videos, to demonstrate how different historical societies and museums are using these archives to build and understand narratives surrounding this period of time.

The three-part series is one of a collection of events celebrating the Heart of America Library being one of three libraries chosen nationwide to host a 1823 William J. Stone engraving of the Declaration of Independence, which will be displayed until July 7.

The exhibition is a part of the Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies and Crayola Learning’s “Creative Freedom” initiative celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States.

Part one, held in April, explored the origins of the Revolutionary War, and the final part, “Images of the Revolution: Looking at Portraits and Art that Centers on the Revolution: The Revolution of in American Film and Memory” will be held at 7 p.m. on June 4 at HOA Library.

Prior to earning her doctorate, Moss served two fellowships at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington D.C., where she was able to go behind the scenes and dig through archival material.

Submitted Photo he Heart of America Library was chosen to host a replica of the 1823 William J. Stone engraving of the Declaration of Independence. It will remain on display until July 7, 2026.

“I’m fascinated by material culture. I think that one of the coolest ways to study history is by looking at objects. Looking at print culture, actual letters, journals and newspaper articles written at the time, is a really cool way to explore how people are active in history,” Moss said.

Written materials such as the examples Moss shared, are primary sources of what historians use to build their narratives. Moss said they give powerful perspective and insight that is fundamental when exploring history. Revolutionary-era materials such as poems and journal entries by women, articles written by slaves and letters written by men in the military encompass a wide range of human experiences.

“Sometimes we forget when we think of history we think of something that’s acted upon people,” Moss said. “But letters are a really great way for us to explore the way that actual human people shape and form history. We don’t tend to give them enough credit in terms of how historical processes are shaped by human decisions and actions. … War can remove the humanity of people.”