In the 19th century and into the early part of the 20th century it was customary, on the Fourth of July, for a public official–a mayor, a judge, a justice of the peace–to recite the text of the Declaration of Independence in a public place as residents came together to celebrate the holiday.
Like many traditions, this one faded, and now it is difficult to find such an event anywhere in the nation, let alone one’s hometown. This Friday I’m amending that, with the help of said hometown, as part of Claude Moore Park’s Ol’ Time 4th of July celebration. (Starts at 10:30 if you’re interested.)
I actually first had the idea to do this in 2004, and held my own renegade reading of the Declaration in front of a couple dozen friends on July 4, 2004, at Binghamton’s Recreation Park. I did this half a dozen times in Binghamton (2004-2009), then tried to revive the custom here in Loudoun County. Starting in 2016 I held an annual event at the Sterling Community Center, shuttered last like like so many other things due to COVID.
This year we’re back, and I’m happy to collaborate with my local park, even playing nice with my local government to make the event bigger and better than ever before.
The text of the Declaration? Well, that’s the same. Same speech for 245 years.
But it’s still gonna sound damn good.