Audio
Season 1, Episode 7: America’s Semiquincentennial in Virginia
Transcript
Dustin Baker
George Washington. It's one of the most recognizable names in the world. His story is a foundational stone in American history. Yet at the place he was born, only remnants remain of the buildings and the stories of people who once lived here. One might think that the birthplace of a national icon is an easy story to tell, but it's actually one of the most complex and surprising historic sites preserved by the National Park Service. So join us as we piece together the past, present and future of this place brick by brick. On this podcast series upon this Land History, mystery and monuments.
The power of a place is shaped by its past, and one can hardly think of a place that was owned by the Washingtons in the Northern Neck of Virginia without thinking of the American Revolution. On July 4th, 2026, the National Park Service will join the nation in celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Parks from coast to coast preserve monuments and memorials that help us reflect on America's highest principles and the nation's greatest tragedies. The US Semiquincentennial offers us an opportunity to celebrate in national parks the vast contributions of individuals, both before and after the revolution, deepen our understanding of the struggles and triumphs of all Americans, and reflect on the aspirational ideals set forth in the Declaration of Independence and their relevance to our lives today. It's also an opportunity for all Americans to deepen their pride in place and learn more about the stories of their local communities and states 250 years ago. Joining us today is our very special guest, Cheryl Wilson. Cheryl Wilson serves as the executive director for the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission.
So Cheryl, we just want to thank you so much for joining us on the podcast today. And for those of there... for those people out there who don't know who you are or what VA 250 is, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you became involved?
Cheryl Wilson
Absolutely, and thank you for the opportunity to talk with you today, Dustin and your audience. Always happy to talk about VA 250 because it impacts all of us so much. VA 250 is the shorthand name for the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission. And that's an agency of the legislature, the General Assembly, a legislative commission that is chaired by delegate Terry L. Austin of Botetourt. The vice chair is Senator Mamie Locke of Hampton. And we're honored to have as National Honorary Chair Carly Fiorina. The commission itself is composed of representatives of museums, historic sites, tourism destinations, and state agencies across Virginia. And, they've been working hard since 2020, in formulating the plans that we'll talk about. But I'm Cheryl Wilson, the executive director of VA 250 and of course have always been passionate about Virginia's rich history and have sort of carved out a niche with commemorations, I'll say. My career has been with the General Assembly and this VA 250 Commission is an agency of the General Assembly and part of that long career. And I think I have about 37 sessions of the General Assembly under my belt. Now, one of the things you do is, whatever the priority of the time is, so starting in about 2006, I was asked to lead Virginia's Commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War and Emancipation, that's the sesquicentennial. After that, the 100th anniversary of World War One, 75th anniversary of World War Two, and now the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, the Semisequincentennial. And I often laugh Dustin and say, it might just be because I learned how to pronounce Sesquicentennial and Semiquincentennial so quickly. But it's been a long and wonderful time of developing partnerships and all the good things that we'll talk about with the commemoration.
Dustin Baker
Right? Being able to pronounce those things is an important part of the job. I absolutely agree, it took me a while. You know, these, these big nationwide commemorations, states around the country are having their own stories told during, America 250. Why is this such an important commemoration for the state of or the Commonwealth of Virginia?
Cheryl Wilson
Yeah, another very good question. And you're right, every state is having its moment because, again, this is our nation's 250th. Much like the bicentennial and the the, passion that's exhibited throughout the nation in a moment like that. But I have to say, there is no better place than Virginia to experience history. We often say Virginia's history is America's story, and that's so much more than a tagline. It's true. Virginia was the first the place for the first encounters with indigenous people. The first slaves arrived in Virginia, in Jamestown. Whether you're talking about Civil War, Civil Rights, American Revolution, every layer of history can be found and explored in sites throughout Virginia. We offer the power of place, standing, in a place of significance at a time of significance that no other state offers. Virginia is, as many people would say, the birthplace of the nation. All the founding documents written by Virginia over and over. So I would say that Virginia is important for every American, certainly every Virginian, but every American to experience in this moment of the nation's 250th.
Dustin Baker
And we're two years away from 2026, which is the actual 250th anniversary of American independence. What are the biggest goals for VA 250 between now and then?
Cheryl Wilson
Right. Yes. there are three main goals. And you're right, that lead up to 2026 takes a long time. Our overall vision is to do our part in forming a more perfect union and the way we get there are three goals. Number one: Educate. There are so many people that don't understand Virginia's contributions to the forming of our nation in the American Revolution. But even broader than that, they don't understand the values and ideas and ideals on which this country was founded and continued to create a more perfect union. So educate and outreach is a big part of that. To that end, we'll have mobile museums that travel to schools and exhibit. The next is to engage Virginians and Americans by telling the whole story of our founding and connecting every community on a personal level, encouraging tourism and economic development as people travel throughout and engage in the history that we find here. And then the third is to inspire. To foster the sense of national unity that we all have, that we need by reflecting on these ideals that shaped our nation and that continue to perfected. So engage, educate and inspire, would be the three main goals. All of our programing works around that.
Dustin Baker
Absolutely. And you know, when we're talking about educating and inspiring people, about this commemoration, why should individuals care about Virginia 250 and America 250? What is it that we want them to get excited about?
Cheryl Wilson
You know, the easy answer to that is that when we take a moment to reflect on the past and our history, it's just as much about our present and our future. And that's what a commemoration does. Is it offers the opportunity by looking at the past to shape the present, bring us together in the present and bring us forward together in the future. We know, of course, that the American Revolution itself wasn't just a fight for Independence. It was about the fight for, again, these ideals we're talking about, liberty, self-government, the pursuit of a more perfect union. And if we understand that, you know, we can certainly appreciate the values on which they were built. But also, as we look back to the past, we see, you know, painful parts of our history. And when we talk about, acknowledge that, when we work together to, to discuss those, one of our... one of our key leaders, Carly Fiorina, often talks about the experience in places like Colonial Williamsburg and certainly National Park Service sites across the country have found over and over, when we take an honest look at history, it brings us all together closer. It's a it's a healing moment, and that would be why I think everyone should care about VA 250 and this moment for the nation.
Dustin Baker
Yeah. And you know, one of the best ways to connect and engage and learn about history is to go to places where history happened. And, as a America 250, VA 250, as the commemoration really gets moving, people are probably going to start thinking about visiting well-known sites like Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, Mount Vernon, but what are some lesser known places that you hope people visit?
Cheryl Wilson
Oh, yes. And I hope they visit all of them many, many times. I'll start by saying on our website, VA250.org, you can click and have an interactive map that overlays all of the many places to visit. The grand names that you've mentioned, Monticello, Mount Vernon, Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown. But then the sites like Red Hill, the home of Patrick Henry in Charlotte County, the Abingdon Muster Grounds out in Southwest Virginia in Abingdon, where militia, oh, goodness, I spent the most captivating afternoon there not too long ago, and the guide was telling me the stories of the local men who left their home and marched dozens upon dozens of miles to muster there. And then from there, go out and march dozens and dozens of miles before the Battle of Kings Mountain in 1780. Just these stories of everyday bravery and everyday sacrifice, so that's one that just always leaps to mind. We read a story not too long ago, in a series that runs about the 250th, about Chiswell’s Mines, for example. Again, that's out in Southwest Virginia in Wythe County. And I don't know if you know about that one Dustin, but that's where enslaved men as well, white prisoners worked side by side in lead mines to produce ammunition for the revolutionary armies. Some of these sites that you just hadn't heard of before. and then we talk about Colonial Williamsburg in the grand sense, but within that are such poignant and incredible stories. One of them that comes to mind is the Bray School in Colonial Williamsburg, which is the oldest building dedicated to the education of black children in the United States. And there's been a lot of work and renovation and the relocation of the school. And we understand, for example, when the Bray School itself, after being found, located, the... the historical ruins, was being brought to the place where it's now being renovated and in fact will be rededicated this year in the fall of 2024, in Colonial Williamsburg. The community members again remember, with one of the oldest schools, dedicated to educating black children, free and enslaved. So students from a local school as that house, the Gray School, was coming down the road, gathered, and they held up placards. Research had shown the names of some of the students who were educated in the Bray School, and they held up placards, if they just knew the first name, because they wanted to honor those students. The students of today wanted to honor the student of of yesterday. And remember them and say their name and let them know they weren't forgotten. If that's not just a snapshot of the power of a commemoration, I don't know what is. So again, you know, all these moments, all of those, places that we can go and experience. I would direct you to the website for a comprehensive listing of the well known and the lesser known, all of which need to be known.
Dustin Baker
Yeah. And, you know, when I think of the semiquincentennial, I can't help but think of the Bicentennial Commemorations in 1976. And I think one of the biggest differences between that commemoration and the semiquincentennial is that now modern people have access to all kinds of information about these sites online, readily available to them. They can learn remotely, but why should modern audiences care about the preservation of these actual historic places and sites?
Cheryl Wilson
Yeah, it goes back to Dustin that power of place. And that truly, to me, having experienced this over and over again, that's the power of the commemoration. First up the power place is wonderful. Anytime when you can go and you can see, you know, the site where George Washington lived or was born and stand there, but there's something special. It's almost it is intangible. It's something about being at a place of significance, particularly on an anniversary day. And then you can narrow that down when you know the time. And I’ve stood in places, many times one, one that comes to mind, is the Manassas Battleground. When you know you are in the same place at the same moment that something significant happens and you're separated only by the thin veil of time. It's powerful. The stories that we hear or that we read or that we scroll through on our phones, don't hit as deeply as as them. And that's why one of the things we'll be doing is launching a passport, inviting people to, to go to sites, particularly on dates of significance. It it's, it's will, it's a changing, it's a transformative experience. And I hope that so many people here in Virginia, we have so many of those moments and places. And one of our goals is to make it easy for people to to experience that. But it's something quite powerful and quite a connection with the past that again, we carry into the future.
Dustin Baker
Yeah. And, speaking of dates of significance, you just mentioned a few moments ago, George Washington, and in 2032, the tricentennial birth anniversary of George Washington will be another commemoration. How do you hope commemoration of the 250th will influence commemoration of that event in Virginia?
Cheryl Wilson
Oh that's wonderful, tricentennial! Well, first off Dutin that's easier for you and me to say isn’t it. but yeah, let's look at the dovetailing of that. 2032, that's going to be right on the tails. 2031 is the surrender at Yorktown, where here in Virginia, where American independence was won. So following that will be the tricentennial. That is the fun thing about Virginia. There are so many layers of history that you can be commemorating the 250th of one thing, while also the 100th of something else, and the 300th. So that's that's really lovely, to know that that'll be coming right on the heels of that. Right as history is is so peaked, as the national appetite is whet. But how this commemoration of the 250th will influence that commemoration, well is in number one is awareness. You know just the public appetite, the groundwork that’s laid. That during a commemoration on, you know, on the side that we do, the the working side of it, all of the many, many, many there hundreds of partners involved, for example, in the 250th commemoration here in Virginia. All working together, all ours rowing in the same direction every museum, historic site. Just the power of creating those strong partnerships and that network, brings together so many who will have a role in the tricentennial of George Washington's birth. And then again, as I mentioned, we whet the public appetite for knowing more, learning more, wanting to go to the site. And it just in, we lay the groundwork for ensuring that vibrant and inclusive commemoration as one ends the next begins.
Dustin Baker
Yeah, and VA 250 has actually already been active for some time. So, what are some events that, you've already conducted and what are the highlights that you have planned for the future?
Cheryl Wilson
Oh, so many, yes, and, Dustin, I believe you, might have attended or some of your colleagues, one of our biggest, which is a Common Cause to All. Let me say Virginia has very deliberately stepped out and in a leadership role in this national commemoration. And one of the ways we do that is through a program that we call a Common Cause to All. Now it started last year in Colonial Williamsburg. It's a partnership between VA 250 and Colonial Williamsburg and other museum But, that was the anniversary, the 250th anniversary of the Committees of Correspondence, the Founding Fathers meeting at the Raleigh Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, well before text messages and emails, corresponding with other colonies at the time. In essence, boiling it down, something big is coming, how do we how do we unite together? We took that same motto. Thomas Jefferson called it a Common Cause to All. We took that same model. Something big is coming. The nation's 250th, we're planning here in Virginia. Other states are planning too. So unify, let's join forces and let's come together. We invited fellow 250th planners from across the nation, across Virginia. And we've now had two gatherings of that, we’ll have another one next year. Dustin, we hoped people would come. This year, we had representatives from, I want to say 37 states, 50 some localities across Virginia, more than 450 people registering and just collaborate. How how can we best work together? So that's one of our programs, a Common Cause to All. And it is tremendous. The speakers, the inspiration that we all share, again, full recordings of every one of those sessions are on our website, VA250.org, and I would recommend it to the attention of your readers, certainly. But even more than that, we have a robust calendar of events. There have already been more than 500 events added to our calendar of events happening across Virginia. And like you mentioned, we're two years out from what the nation sees as the semiquincentennial. For us though, it's already begun. In Virginia, one of the most exciting things and something that we're working on a lot here, in the office and, and within our commission and leadership is 4th of July. We will start 4th of July celebration this year, 2024, at the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond. We'll have another, we actually see this as act one of a three act play. There'll be another July 4th commemoration next year, in Tidewater area, Fort Monroe. And then in 2026, we’ll be involving, we’ll be at Colonial Williamsburg. So that's act one of a three act play. So if anyone in your listening audience is in or near Richmond or wants to travel, we would love to have you here at the State Capitol this year. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. I could go on. We'll have the Yorktown Tea Party this year in November, which of course was Virginia's role of participation, you know, as all the colonies, we certainly know about the Boston Tea Party, but there was a Yorktown Tea party here in, in, in Virginia. Patrick Henry's “Give me liberty or give me death.” Anniversary is next year. Saint John's church. I mean, the list goes on and on and on. So we've already had a number of just, programs that bring together the inspiration and enthusiasm and help set the course for what will truly be a commemoration to involve all Virginians and tell all aspects of our history.
Dustin Baker
Right. And, speaking of involving all Virginians, if someone's listening to this right now and they're just becoming aware of this and Centennial, what are some ways they can get involved?
Cheryl Wilson
I would say welcome, friends. There are so many ways you can get involved. And we want to have you. We want to see, we want to see you over and over. First thing you can do is visit and bookmark VA250.org and start looking at the signature events that the commission itself, is putting on for VA 250 and and then look for local events, what your area is. Certainly you can use this calendar, under events and places to visit to search by locality what’s near you. Start making your plan for the 250th and how you'll be involved. We want you at all VA 250 events again, including July 4th and Common Cause and I should say Dustin that each locality has a local 250th committee. The full listing is on our website. Look for local events, volunteer. It. Show up, be part of it. You’ll find something new at every one of these, I guarantee. So volunteer opportunities, educational resources. If, people if your audience or NPS sites and museums and historic home, those who work there, we have grant programs available to provide some seed funding. I always like to say, “like, follow, and share” on social media. We're on all social media channels, and you can find it by using hashtag VA 250. So tag us in your social media, follow along with ours, participate. That's one of the quickest and most granular ways, to be involved. And then of course, support. We have a VA 250 commemoration society for those who can support with their treasure as well as their time and donate, to further education efforts across the state. So they're very many ways, and we welcome, we welcome everyone and can't wait to see you at events.
Dustin Baker
Right. And, you know, Cheryl, this will be the the last question we have for you. With so many different historic sites across Virginia, so many different communities being engaged and involved with this, what can we do to ensure that everyone is included in this commemoration? When so many people have been excluded or marginalized in our country's history, in these very stories that we're going to be commemorating and telling.
Cheryl Wilson
Absolutely, because this is a commemoration for all Virginians, and everyone has a place at the table. So the VA 250 Commission, Dustin, which is, chaired by Delegate Terry Austin from Botetourt, our vice chair, Senator Mamie Locke from Hampton, and of course, our honorary national chair is Carly Fiorina has been intentional in, in involving every audience. Senator Locke chairs an African American advisory council. We have, Chief Steve Atkins from the Chickahominy Tribe who chairs the Tribal Nations Leadership Advisory Council, composed of Chiefs of all Virginian tribes. We very intentionally ask these groups to help program events like July 4th and Common Cause, and all of the things that VA 250 will do and we have many others, I just named two actually, there are many other advisory groups similar to very intentionally help in creating programing and designing events in which every voice is welcome, every person sees themselves and feels welcome. So that's been, an intentional outreach for VA 250 to involve all Virginians.
Dustin Baker
Well, great. Cheryl, we just want to thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule. you know, as someone who was born in the 1980s, I didn't really appreciate the full scope and significance of this commemoration until I started looking back to the 1976 Bicentennial commemorations and how much that meant for the country at the time. And I truly appreciate the work that you're putting into commemorating the 250th here in Virginia and, truly respect the the task you have ahead of you. So, just want to thank you for joining us on the podcast, and, we look forward to talking with you again in the future. Thank you for joining us on this episode of Upon This Land: History, Mystery and Monuments. Next month, it's the National Park Service’s birthday, so be sure to tune in to our next episode.
Description
On July 4th, 2026, the National Park Service will join the nation in celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. We have already started planning for this national event and today we are going to get a behind the scenes look at what is to come. Joining us today is our very special guest, Cheryl Wilson. Cheryl Wilson serves as the executive director for the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission. Intro music courtesy of Wolf Patrol. Outro music courtesy of Brumbaugh Family.
Date Created
07/04/2024
Copyright and Usage Info