The American Enlightenment in William Livingston's Library

As governor of New Jersey 1776-1790, William Livingston played a crucial role in the struggle for American independence and the establishment of a new nation. He was also a leading intellectual, prolific writer, reader, and collector of books. His home, Liberty Hall, survives at Kean University; sadly, his library does not. But Livingston maintained a list of his books. Our poster highlights research conducted by Kean students to digitally reconstruct his library. Our comparative analysis shows a rich library with volumes on history, philosophy, science, law, and government, organized according to his own epistemology. We demonstrate parallels between Livingston's library and those of other founders such as Franklin, Witherspoon, Washington, Jay, and Jefferson. The comparison of Livingston’s library to those of his peers shows him to be a learned political leader with a shared admiration of Greco-Roman thought, Enlightenment principles, and scientific curiosity. The identification of classical and Enlightenment texts in his library and those of other founders contributes to understanding the role of books in spreading Enlightenment ideas and driving the colonies toward independence. For Livingston invoked authors of antiquity on his shelves in publications such as Philosophic Solitude, The Independent Reflector, and propaganda published in The New Jersey Gazette during the Revolution. The libraries of these erudite men were expressions of how they wished to be regarded in both personal life and political theater, and tools for waging revolution. The visualization of Livingston's library establishes the role of Livingston and his books in founding the United States.