RARE REVOLUTIONARY ARTIFACTS BRING AMERICA’S FOUNDING TO LIFE AT BAR CONVENTION
Bar members Shari Elessar, left, and Ana Cristina Maldonado browsed rare volumes and historical artifacts displayed in celebration of the country’s 250th anniversary at the Bar Convention in June, where they heard little-known anecdotes about the American Revolutionary Era from Statutes and Stories creator Adam Levinson, right.
In honor of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, The Florida Bar invited member and historian Adam Levinson to display his private collection of artifacts from the American Revolutionary era at the 2026 Annual Florida Bar Convention.
Originally published in New York newspapers beginning in October 1887. the Federalist essays were written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. This is a 1788 copy reprinted in the Annual Register.
Levinson brings a wealth of historical knowledge and lively anecdotes that breathe life into the events and circumstances surrounding the nation's birth.
Consisting primarily of laws, periodical articles, and speeches reprinted in books — many printed more than 100 years ago — the collection provides context and immediacy to the actions of the nation's founders. Among the artifacts are items related to:
- The English Stamp Act of 1765
- The English Tea Act of 1773
- The Declaration of Independence
- The Confederation Congress
- The Articles of Confederation
- Florida's Constitution and early laws
The collection also includes antique coins, Continental currency — including two rare $3 bills — and reprints of paintings depicting historical figures and pivotal moments.
Serving as an impromptu docent during the Bar Convention, Levinson shared the backstory of a little-known but significant document: the cover letter accompanying the U.S. Constitution, which he described as "the transmittal letter that introduced the United States Constitution to the world."
The document was especially significant, Levinson said, because it was signed by George Washington, who had already emerged as one of the nation's most influential leaders. Although Washington did not participate in the ratification debates, Levinson noted that he wrote in the cover letter that it was his "most ardent wish" that the Constitution be ratified, describing it as "the result of a spirit of amity" — an important sentiment given the wide range of opinions among those who drafted and approved the Constitution.
Washington was the first to sign the Constitution in 1787, as president of the Constitutional Convention. After the Constitution was ratified, he became the nation's first president in 1789.
To learn more, visit America 250 Exhibit at The Florida Bar Convention webpage.
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