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Bibles in the Rare Book Room

The Rare Book Room houses a collection of Bibles dating from 1250 to the mid-20th century.

The Bible of the Revolution

Holy Bible. Philadelphia: Printed by Robert Aitken, 1782.

"The Bible of the Revolution," also known as the "Aitken Bible" (named for its printer) was the first complete English Bible, both Old and New Testaments, to be printed in the United States with an American imprint.   In January of 1781, printer Robert Aitken of Philadelphia, petitioned Congress for permission to print an English-language Bible on his presses in America, instead of importing Bibles from Europe or England.  Up to that time, publication of the Bible was regulated by the British government, and an English language Bible could not be printed without a special license, and had to include an imprint of the Crown. Our collection includes an original leaf from an Aitken Bible (verses from 1st Samuel), and a complete Arno Press facsimile copy of the 2 volume Bible.

Aitken Bible leaf

 

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Mailing Address: Davidson College - E.H. Little Library, 209 Ridge Road, Box 5000, Davidson, NC 28035