Clayton State University presents a panel discussion at the Georgia Archives: “The Declaration of Independence at 250: A Revolutionary Idea That Established a New Nation”
(June 9, 2026) - On Tuesday, June 30, 2026, from Noon to 1:00 p.m., Clayton State University will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation with a panel discussion featuring history experts from the University System of Georgia, held at the Georgia Archives, located at 5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, GA 30260.
Georgia’s copy of the Declaration of Independence will be on display during the event as part of the 250th anniversary celebration. In January 1777, Congress ordered that authenticated printed copies of the Declaration, produced by Mary Katherine Goddard, be sent to each state for official recording. Georgia’s surviving record of this text was entered by hand into an official state volume on March 2, 1777, alongside military appointments and bonds.
The Declaration of Independence at 250 Panel Discussion will include:
Adam Tate, Professor of History; Chair, Department of Humanities at Clayton State University — Focus: The Declaration of Independence, the Continental Congress, and Self-Government.
Keith Pacholl, Professor of History, University of West Georgia — Focus: Religion and the Declaration of Independence.
Jeff Rogers, Professor of History, Gordon State College — Focus: How the Declaration of Independence was remembered in the South during the antebellum period.
Moderator: Penelope Cliff, Former Director of Archives and Information Studies at Clayton State University.
Learn more about The Declaration of Independence at 250 Panelists:
Adam Tate, Ph.D., Professor of History; Chair, Department of Humanities at Clayton State University. Dr. Tate has taught at Clayton State since 2004. He has served as chair of the Department of Humanities since 2015. Dr. Tate’s teaching interests are in 19th-century America, the American Founding, and Southern History. His research interests focus on Southern intellectual history.
Keith Pacholl, Ph.D., Professor of History, University of West Georgia – Dr. Pacholl has taught at the University of West Georgia since 2004. His fields of study include Colonial America, the American Revolution, the Early Republic, and American Political, Social, Cultural, and Religious History. Dr. Pacholl's research examines the intersection of culture, religion, class, gender, consumerism, and print culture in 18th-century America. His current project examines the relationship between religion and politics in the Early Republic. He currently serves as a Faculty Fellow for the Institute for Faculty Excellence (IFE) at UWG.
Jeff Rogers, Ph.D., Professor of History, Gordon State College – Dr. Rogers has taught at Gordon State College since 2004. He is a specialist in 19th-century Southern intellectual history. His teaching interests cover the U.S. Early Republic and Nineteenth Century America.
Penelope “Penny” Cliff, the panel moderator, is a retired archivist, historian, and educator who continues to teach one course each semester in the Archives and Information Studies Program at Clayton State University. She brings more than 25 years of experience in archival leadership, higher education, and public history, including roles at Clayton State University, the Georgia Archives, Gordon State College, and the Thomaston–Upson Archives. In 2025, she received the Georgia Historical Records Advisory Council (GHRAC) Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her career-long contributions to the archival profession.
About the Georgia Archives
The Georgia Archives is a unit of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. The Georgia Archives identifies, collects, manages, preserves, provides access to, and publicizes records and information about Georgia and its people, and assists state and local government agencies with their records management.
For more information, visit https://www.georgiaarchives.org/
About Clayton State University
Founded in 1969, Clayton State University, a member of the University System of Georgia, is a student-centered institution committed to expanding access, advancing social mobility, and preparing graduates for meaningful, career-connected success. Through a range of associate, undergraduate, and graduate degree programs, Clayton State provides clear pathways for students from all backgrounds.
Located in Morrow, Georgia, and located on 214 acres with six lakes, the University serves as a vital engine for workforce development and community impact. Clayton State competes in NCAA Division II athletics and is home to Spivey Hall, a premier performance venue in the Atlanta metropolitan area.
For more information, visit https://www.clayton.edu/