Honoring The Birth Of A Nation
Maryland Contributes to the Commemoration of the U.S. Semiquincentennial
“The importance of Maryland’s role in the founding of our nation is a story worth celebrating, especially as we prepare for a transition of power in the nation’s capital,” said Governor Larry J. Hogan Jr. “From across our state, Maryland contributed greatly to our epic quest for freedom, a challenge we continue to refine and uphold to this day.”
As the United States’ semiquincentennial approaches, the U.S. Congress established the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission to inspire all Americans to participate in the commemoration and observance for the 250th anniversary of the founding and independence of the United States in 1776.
With the state of Maryland playing various roles in the independence of the U.S. from the British, Governor Hogan announced the Executive Order establishing the Maryland Semiquincentennial Commission. The Commission will be staffed by the Maryland Department of Planning and Governor’s Coordinating Offices.
Duties of Maryland’s Commission include:
Coordinate, engage, and liaise with the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, and other local, county, and state commissions, as well as private and public organizations and partners, including, but not limited to, the America 250 Foundation and the American Battlefield Trust.
Develop, encourage, and execute an inclusive celebration, commemoration, and observance of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Revolutionary War, and founding of the United States of America, and all its people, through civic, cultural, and historical education, events, and programming.
Promote the documentation, identification, and preservation of cultural and historic resources, including archives, buildings, landscapes, objects, and sites related to the semiquincentennial period.
The semiquincentennial period lasts from 2020 to 2027, holding its peak on July 4, 2026.
“Maryland and Virginia were the first two states to establish chattel slavery, said Department of History and Government Professor Dr. David L. Reed of Bowie State University. He then further explained Maryland is the second state behind Virginia in the law to have chattel slavery, established in 1662 and 1664 in The Maryland General Assembly. “When you look at the history of Maryland from 1664 through 1865, we [Africans/Blacks] were slaves.”
Although celebrating the American independence is important, we must remember and sympathize with the people who were not yet free and independent during this time.
