Sixteen months before Thomas Jefferson crafted the powerful words that would become our Declaration of Independence, he sat quietly in Richmond’s St. John’s Church, absorbing the oratory of Patrick Henry. Henry’s call, “Give me liberty or give me death,” ignited a revolutionary spirit that Jefferson would later capture on parchment.
As we approach July 4, 2026, America’s 250th birthday, Jefferson’s words resonate with renewed importance: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” These words mark the beginning of our nation. These words inspired men and women, enslaved and free, native and immigrant. These words changed the world forever. Every movement for human dignity, equality, and liberty from then on, here and in every corner of the earth, has looked to these words for inspiration and justification.
Throughout our history, America has persistently worked toward these aspirational ideals, often imperfectly, but always purposefully. The freedoms promised in 1776 were not immediately or universally granted; generations of Americans – enslaved people, women and others denied their full rights – would wait decades to taste freedom, and the fight for true equality has continued into our own century.
PROTECTING THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE IN OUR 250TH YEAR
We are the only nation in human history not founded on ethnicity, territory, or religion, but rather on a bold set of ideas, ideals, and a system of government. When we lose sight of where we came from or forget what our founding was meant to establish, our differences begin to divide us rather than bind us. That is why civic renewal is essential. We must reconnect Americans with our shared story, and re-engage those who feel left out or believe our founding ideals no longer apply to them.
Virginia played a pivotal role in this founding. From the Committees of Correspondence in Williamsburg, to the Fairfax Resolves in Alexandria, to the voices of the Overmountain Men in Roanoke and Patrick Henry in Richmond—courageous actions were taken by people who did not always agree, did not always like or trust one another, but who chose to act because their common cause was more important than their divisions.
Even in the face of deep risk and uncertainty, people made difficult, often dangerous choices. Enslaved men like James Armistead Lafayette and Gowan Pamphlet took great personal risks to fight for the hope of freedom. Native communities, despite displacement and division, joined in the cause for liberty. These stories, too often untold, remind us that our history is complex—but it is also rich with courage, resilience, and sacrifice.
As Americans, we know we have not always lived up to our ideals. We’ve fallen short time and again. But our optimism for the future rests not on wishful thinking, but on our enduring belief that the system of government we inherited gives us the tools to repair our faults and fulfill our promise. The work of forming a more perfect union is never finished—it must be taken up by every generation.
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This milestone year is not just about fireworks and parades. It is a time for national reflection and civic renewal. It is a moment to recommit ourselves to liberty, and civic responsibility—principles that remain as essential today as they were in 1776. As National Honorary Chair of Virginia 250 and Board Chair of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, I’ve seen firsthand the energy building across Virginia to make this commemoration meaningful. We have a unique opportunity to tell the whole story—to educate, to engage, and to inspire. When 2026 draws to a close, may every American be able to look into the mirror of our history and see themselves and each other more clearly.
Now is our time to step forward and do our work so that every citizen understands their role in sustaining our democracy. While we may never all agree, and will remain as spirited and diverse as we have always been, now is our time to remember why we are all Americans.
E Pluribus Unum.
It doesn’t matter where you come from, how you started or what you look like. If you believe in the promise of America, in individual liberty and equality before God, then out of many, one is still possible.
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