Subscribe to the IHARE Blog

America 250th

The Semiquincentennial: End of the Year Update (Part III)

December 29, 2024
by Peter Feinman
Wikipedia (By Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv)

This blog is the third and final update on the semiquincentennial. The first looked at the national and New England regional landscape. The second surveyed the individual New England states. This final blog turns to New York State and City where the news is not good.

Remember this blog excludes what is happening at the county and municipality level where the story is much different and too much for me to track. Individual listings may be found at the I LoveNY website along with non-250th events and the New York State 250 Commission hosted on the New York State Museum website.

NEW YORK STATE

New York wades into controversy over new way of teaching the American Revolution
New program includes voices of Indigenous and enslaved people
By Kathleen Moore, Staff Writer Updated Oct 9, 2024 8:38 a.m.
Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site on Tuesday, Oct. 8, in Albany.

A new video by the New York Education Department and state Parks focuses on enslaved people at the Schuyler Mansion who escaped to join the British. They were promised their freedom and land if they fought for the Loyalists. At least one of the people enslaved at the Schuyler Mansion survived and received land in Nova Scotia after the war.

The state Board of Regents on Monday got a look at the new ways of teaching the American Revolution that will be rolled out by February in state parks in advance of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Later, school programs will be developed from the same content.

The displays will include powerful new videos detailing the lives of unheard people from that time. One highlights an Indigenous woman who fought for the colonists in hopes of keeping her tribal land. After the war, Indigenous soldiers returned to find their land had been taken by their former allies. The Indigenous people were forced out.

“It’s this history that hasn’t been reckoned yet,” Indigenous public historian Heather Bruegl, of the Oneida and Stockbridge-Munsee, said in that video. “The colonists wanted that promise of freedom and they got it — with our help.”

The video ends with a black background and the words: “Since its founding, the United States has never upheld a treaty made with an Indigenous Nation.”

Two other videos showcase the stories of enslaved people who fled the Schuyler Mansion in Albany and other areas because the British promised freedom and land to anyone who fought for the Loyalists. About 3,000 formerly enslaved people who fought for the British and survived the war were given land in Nova Scotia.

There are 40 videos in total. They have not been released online yet.

Regents immediately praised the new pieces, but worried that they would get another deluge of criticism similar to what happened when they approved diversity, equity and inclusion policies.

“We have social studies teachers on Long Island who are afraid to teach what we’re talking about here,” said Regent Roger Tilles. “There are things we talked about this morning that I’m afraid won’t go over well in some of my districts.”

Chancellor Lester Young Jr. said the curriculum requires courage.

“There is a major effort occurring in New York state to ensure that the real history of America is told,” he said. “We are the body that is responsible for the education of all students and it’s important we maintain the courage to do what’s right.”

Still, he acknowledged that there will be a negative reaction from some groups.

“When this board passed the DEI policy, there was tremendous pushback, the depths of which we have not seen in a long time,” he said. “A great American once said, every now and again courage has to kick in. A moment when you have to do what’s right. So I think what this board has to do is continue to lift up the truth and do what’s right.”

The new way of viewing the revolution, as designed by the state Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education and the state Parks Department, is called “the Unfinished Revolution.”

“The American Revolution, as groundbreaking and important as it was, was really incomplete — it did not include all residents of the colonies, did not include women as voters, obviously enslavement was allowed for decades, so how do we grapple with that history?” said state historian Devin Lander in the presentation to the Board of Regents.

 “We developed themes for how to talk about that history,” he said. “Really the opportunity is to think about it as … not really the past. It’s connected to events to this day.”

The idea is to see the revolution as the impetus for 250 years of striving to meet the ideals of the Declaration of Independence.

The new videos, photos, narratives and other elements will be shown on “Revisit the Revolution” kiosks installed at parks throughout the state.

Locally, the kiosks will be at the Capitol, Schuyler Mansion and Peebles Island. They will be installed by February.

The Education Department plans to also create programming for schools and push for funding to bring students to their nearest state park to use the kiosks. Currently, state aid does not cover bus transportation for field trips, so the Education Department will propose adding that in next year’s budget.

In addition, the department wants to provide small grants to libraries for programming using the kiosk videos and other materials.

Kathleen Moore

Times Union’s education reporter. You can reach her at Kathleen.Moore@timesunion.com or 518-918-5497.

https://www.timesunion.com/education/article/albany-faces-controversy-new-way-teach-19821414.php

New York State 250th Commemoration Commission Meeting

The New York State 250th Commemoration Commission held a meeting on Wednesday, October 23rd. The meeting is open to the public and took place at the Seneca Art & Culture Center at Ganondagan State Historic Site, the New York State Museum, and the Schomburg Library.

The meeting was pathetic, a true embarrassment. The panelists were located in all three venues. All three panels were displayed on-line. The figures were too small to discern as were the signs identifying them. If you didn’t recognize by voice, you were lost. The acoustics were terrible. Even the panelists in one location complained about not being able to hear speakers in the other locations.

And this is from a panel with no funding. If any funding is included in the budget for next year, it would be the second half of 2025 at the earliest before such funds were available.

The guest Presenter: Andrea Smith, Lafayette College, author of “Memory Wars: Settlers and Natives Remember Washington’s Sullivan Expedition of 1779” was the highlight of the session.

The next meeting will be in February.

There is an event upcoming at the end of the month which appears to be a statewide one presented by

2025 NYS 250 Commemoration Virtual Summit

You’re invited to join us January 30, 2025 at 10:00 AM as we reconvene planners, programmers and promoters for a 250 Commemoration Virtual Summit. The morning program will follow-up on the successful September 2024 gathering in Saratoga Springs with a virtual event packed with updates, progress reports, ideas and guidance. A live / in-person event is also planned for September of 2025 – details will be shared at the virtual meeting in January.

We look forward to seeing you!

Date: Thursday January 30, 2025
Time: 10:00 AM to 11:45 AM
Virtual Link: You will receive a calendar appointment – please rsvp to reserve the day and time.
The meeting link will be sent to you both as an email and calendar appointment update on January 25, 2025.

PRELIMINARY AGENDA (Draft)
9:55 AM: Login begins to the virtual platform.

10:00 AM: Welcome/Remarks: Devin Lander, New York State Historian; NYS Education Department

10:15 AM: Updates:
               NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation
– Phil Giltner, Special Initiatives Coordinator & Madeleine Gionet, Director of Marketing
Empire State Development
– Ross Levi, Vice President/Executive Director of Tourism
10:45 AM: Updates / Best Practice / Case Studies In Collaboration: 
– Brief presentations from destinations, museums and historic organizations
11:30 AM: Closing Remarks / Next Steps / Plans for September 2025

Contact Information:

NYS 250 Commemoration Questions: Devin R. Lander, New York State Historian, Devin.Lander@nysed.gov

Event Registration Questions: Brooke Wilson, New York State Tourism Industry Association (NYSTIA), brooke@nystia.org

NEW YORK CITY

 The only reason the New York City American Revolution 250th isn’t even more pathetic than the state version is because there isn’t one. Local organizations are moving ahead with their own events but there is no city- or borough-wide organization.

The one event that is drawing attention is

 To celebrate America’s 250th birthday on July 4, 2026, the largest fleet of the world’s most magnificent tall ships and gray hull ships will sail into New York Harbor, pass in Presidential review, and salute the Statue of Liberty.

 ​In the tradition of the 1976 Bicentennial, the Statue of Liberty Centennial in 1986, the Columbus Quincentennial in 1992, the Millennium celebration in 2000, and the Bicentennial of the Star-Spangled Banner in 2012, international fleets will arrive in grand style and spend a week in the heart of the nation’s first capitol.

 Sailors will come together in the universal fellowship of freedom, hope, and opportunity that our country has always represented.

This will be a big event. There will be thousands of tourists and much to see. Of course, on July 4, 1776, not much happened in New York City. A few days later the Declaration of Independence was read, the statue of George III was toppled, and a fleet of tall British ships carrying 30,000 soldiers was on its way to Manhattan. The Battle of New York was engaged.

In other words, the biggest battle of 1776 occurred in the Battle of New York/Brooklyn/Long Island. New York has the opportunity to dominate the 1776 anniversary celebration by commemorating the biggest battle of the year. Certainly Westchester County will celebrate the battles in 1776 that were a spillover from this campaign, but New York City will not. Organizations that commemorate the Battle of New York anyway annually will continue to do so, but the city will do nothing just like the state.

The clock is ticking and New York State and City are running out of time.

The Semiquincentennial: End of the Year Update (Part I)

December 27, 2024
by Peter Feinman
Wikipedia (By Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv)

The America 250th is already upon us. As previously reported 1774 was the year of the First Continental Congress. It was the year when Americans began to take sides as Loyalist or Rebel. The vote for the selection of delegates to the First Continental Congress marked the beginning of America’s first civil war as well.

Now we are moving into the anniversary of 1775. It was the year of the Second Continental Congress beginning in May also in Philadelphia. This time the Congress followed the confrontations at Lexington and Concord. The battle was engaged.

One might think that the planning for the commemorations of these events would be in full swing. The national commission chartered by Congress would be going full blast to lead America in a discussion of where people stood just as it would have done in 2024. I guess one could say the presidential election served the same purpose. As to what in the incoming president will do in 2025 or in the subsequent years remains to seen.

In the meantime, here is a snapshot of where things stand.

Part I

At the national level

At the regional level in New England

Part II: At the state level in New England:

Connecticut

Maine

Massachusetts

Rhode Island

Vermont

Part III:

New York State

New York City.

Many local municipalities are planning events, too. There are too many to list here. I am confining myself to my own state and region and where I receive email notifications about what is going on even if I cannot attend them. Some states are doing a terrific job like Connecticut and others are abysmal like New York. And the less said about New York City the better.

American Association for State and Local History (AASLH)

Join us for 250 Con, a galvanizing and unifying moment for the history field as we enter the final year of planning for the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States!

With less than two years to go, now is the time for history doers to finalize plans for the 250th, an occasion that could transform both our field and society. Major initiatives are already underway across the country, but the Semiquincentennial will only be as impactful as the strength of our collaboration. Attend 250 Con to learn about national and state planning opportunities, identify actionable ways to participate, and join your peers in generating enthusiasm for this once-in-a-generation event.

250 Con kicks off with a keynote conversation featuring the leaders of the Library of Congress, the National Archives and Records Administration, and the Smithsonian Institution. The two-day event will also include “lightning rounds” of presentations about major 250th initiatives, breakout sessions for networking and learning, and a virtual meet-and-greet with state 250th commissions.

AMERICA250

The federal commission still exists with another 18 months or so. So far it has not had much discernible effect on the local level. And since the American Revolution continues until November 25, 1783, Evacuation Day, at this point history organizations can expect no support for events after the July 4, 1776 celebration. Still it keeps plugging away now that its internal problems appear to have been resolved even if funding is limited.

America250 and United States Conference of Mayors Launch Task Force Recruiting Cities for 250th Anniversary Planning

Washington, D.C. –  America250, the official nonpartisan entity charged by Congress with planning the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Semiquincentennial, today announced the addition of the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) to its cohort of America250 National Resource Partners. Charged with engaging mayors to participate in Semiquincentennial efforts, USCM has launched the America250 Task Force to recruit America250 Cities and expand 250th anniversary planning at the local level.

Through the America250 Task Force, led by Chair and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, America250 and USCM will invite cities across the country to officially become “America250 Cities” and commit to celebrating and commemorating the 250th anniversary. The Task Force will also convene mayors to participate in planning sessions to discuss programming for the 250th-anniversary celebration. USCM Task Forces are created by the President of the Conference to address individual issues requiring the immediate attention of a select group of mayors.

Currently, 54 states and territories have announced Semiquincentennial Commissions, which are entrusted with planning statewide commemorative activities. Bringing USCM on board as a National Resource Partner and launching the America250 Task Force to establish America250 Cities is part of a concerted effort to engage more Americans at the local level.

“To plan the largest and most inspiring celebration and commemoration, reaching as many Americans as possible, we need the help of our cities and State and Territory Commissions,” said America250 Chair, Rosie Rios. “The United States Conference of Mayors’ America250 Task Force will serve as our boots on the ground, helping with planning and programming at the local level. I’m thrilled to welcome the United States Conference of Mayors as a National Resource Partner. I look forward to working together to establish America250 Cities to amplify our efforts and engage communities nationwide in a unified commemoration of this historic milestone.”

“The U.S. Conference of Mayors is pleased to be a national resource partner as we prepare to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence,” said Tom Cochran, CEO and Executive Director of The U.S. Conference of Mayors. “We look forward to working closely with the Commission to bring communities across the country together to celebrate this pivotal moment in our nation’s history.”

National Resource Partners are a select group of expert nonpartisan, nonprofit organizations tasked with helping to elevate and scale America250 programming. As a National Resource Partner, the United States Conference of Mayors will serve as an extension of America250, convening and activating cities across the country in a coordinated, unified effort to build up to the 250th. Other America250 National Resource Partners include Meridian International Center, National Women’s History Museum, American Association of State and Local History (AASLH), iCivics, More Perfect, National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), Washington National Cathedral and Points of Light.

Remembering the American Revolution at 250 (Journal)

In 2026, the United States will celebrate both the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the formal start of the American Revolution. There will be a host of events throughout the country to commemorate these momentous milestones, but also deep soul searching about the meanings of the revolution, independence, and liberty, and the proper way to commemorate these events. To participate in these conversations, Remembering the American Revolution at 250 is bringing together historians, public historians, and other practitioners from around the world to consider this moment in American history in an ongoing collection of research essays, reflective essays, and lesson plans.

For the first issue click here

National Park Service

The National Park Service is accepting applications for the fourth round of funding for the Semiquincentennial Grant Program. This grant program was created by Congress in 2020 to support the preservation of sites and structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places that commemorate the founding of the nation. Grants support the physical preservation of a broad variety of cultural resources associated with the country’s semiquincentennial (250th anniversary).

Diplomatic History (Journal of)

CFP: 1776 in Global Context: Diplomatic History

To mark the 2026 Semiquincentennial of the American Revolution, the journal Diplomatic History seeks article proposals that engage with any aspect related to the international, transnational, transimperial, continental, or global dimensions of the American Revolution, including its origins or aftermath. The articles will be published in a special forum in 2026.

Society for Historians of the Early American Republic (SHEAR)

The current issue of the Journal of the Early Republic is dedicated to the Sesquicentennial. It is intended as a resource for teachers, students, and the general public. Left unclear is how that audience would even know about this journal and what SHEAR will be doing to disseminate this information. I mentioned these concerns to the President Elect when I saw her at the annual conference of the American Historical Association (which will be the subject of a future blog).

New England Museum Association

NEMA Annual Conference 2024

We the Museum: Toward a ‘More Perfect’ Vision for our Changing World

November 6th – 8th, 2024 Newport, Rhode Island

As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, now is a time to reflect on both the origin of America’s museums, and consider the field not only in its current state, but where it has grown from the past, and what it can be in the future. While museums predate the United States by thousands of years [sic], it is important for us as museum professionals to take stock of the developments in our field and plot a course of action for positive change. Just as America was by no means perfect at its inception, neither was the museum field. While the U.S. Constitution seeks a “more perfect union,” how can we work towards a “more perfect” museum world? How can we be better, if perfection is out of reach?

 This year, NEMA asks you how we can become ‘more perfect’ in a rapidly shifting landscape? What does it take to do this work well? How can museums help change and perfect our worldview? Who are the players? What is at stake? What do we as professionals, as a society, as an audience, as individuals require to carve out a vision for museums that supports the world we inhabit?

The next blog will survey the developments in the individual New England States.