Darryl Hart, associate professor of history, released a new book on the birthplace of America’s founding documents as a tribute to the country’s 250th anniversary. 

Hart’s book,“Independence Hall: The History of an American Icon,” was released on Sept. 22 by Creed and Culture publishing house. The book guides readers through the story and legacy of the Philadelphia building, tracing its history through four stages: its Quaker origins, early wartime use, neglect, and modern conservation. 

Hart’s book functions primarily as a museum guide for the curious citizen who wishes to broaden their understanding of a historically significant building. 

“There’s a lot of public interest in history of that kind, and in visiting a place that is a historic site,” Hart said. “I wanted to fill in those pieces of a story that most people don’t know.” 

As a Philadelphian, Hart said he found it easy to choose Independence Hall as the “national icon” of his book. 

“Part of it is personal because I’m a native of the vicinity,” he said. “It was a building I took for granted.”

Hart graduated from Temple University in Philadelphia with a degree in Film. He later earned a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard University, and a Ph.D in history from John Hopkins University.

Hart said his visit to the Athenian Parthenon with the Collegiate Scholars Program in 2023 sparked his interest in portraying Independence Hall as a universally influential icon. 

In addition to visiting the site, Hart had been inspired by Mary Beard’s book “The Parthenon,” a historical guide in which she analyzes the complicated past of the Greek architectural symbol. Upon visiting the site, Hart decided to undertake a similar endeavor for his own country. 

“I wanted to do that for Independence Hall. I thought, ‘Why don’t I try to do for Independence Hall what Mary Beard did for the Parthenon?’” Hart said.

Chairman and Associate Professor of History Korey Maas, to whom Hart partially dedicated the book, has been his colleague for 15 years and has known his work for longer. 

“In some ways, it is kind of a departure from the kinds of publishing Dr. Hart has typically done,” Maas said. “He’s written a lot on church history, so this is a slightly different kind of project for him.” 

However, given Hart’s fascination with intellectual movements, his history of Independence Hall provides a different perspective into the building’s history, Maas said.

“Dr. Hart has long been interested in the kinds of institutions that embody and transmit ideas, so part of what he’s doing in the book is explaining how various institutions have helped make Independence Hall what it is,” Maas said.

Professor of History Bradley Birzer praised Hart’s effort to connect the hall’s complex history to America’s sense of identity. 

“There’s always a sense that we have symbols that really matter for us. What my colleague is doing is explaining the Hall’s mythic identity, still within the historical framework, and how it became a part of our iconography,” Birzer said.

The idea of a constant symbol weighed on Hart’s mind while he wrote the book, he said. 

“Independence Hall is a symbol of the American founding and of the nation,” Hart said.

“The permanence of the hall is the achievement of the founding.” 

Professor of History Mark Kalthoff, to whom Hart also dedicated the book, said he hopes the book will enlighten younger Americans on the universal significance of the hall. 

“It’s a story that will hopefully cause young people to reflect on the ideas that make America special,” Kalthoff said. 

Maas said he hopes the book can enrich Americans’ sense of national identity by communicating the relevance of physical symbols in a country’s history.

“Being an American is not just adhering to certain abstract principles, but it’s about particular places and how those places have played some part in shaping us,” he said. 

Hart ended his book on a similar note by recognizing the universal legacy which Independence Hall has left the world. 

“Its permanence only adds weight to the historic bravery, heroism, and wisdom of the colonists who met at Independence Hall and led a revolution that changed the world.”