Coming together to celebrate the great ‘Democratic experiment’ after 250 years
History shows divisiveness comes and goes. Meanwhile, the Republic lives on, unified in celebration of its Semiquincentennial, and hopefully long after July 4th.
By Ralph R. Ortega
There’s never been a doubt in my mind of how proud I am to be an American. Even in these divisive times, I am still confident in the sustainability of our Republic, the great “Democratic experiment,” as coined by the French political philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville.
I’m especially reassured coming off our nation’s 250th birthday. The celebration couldn’t come at a better time to help unify us all. Looking back at America’s 100th birthday proves that.
I was 8 years old when America celebrated its Bicentennial in 1976. Now, one has a very selective memory at that age. I remember watching the final Apollo moon landing on TV a few years earlier, along with images of the war in Vietnam and soldiers returning home from the conflict. I also remember seeing President Richard Nixon a lot on television, although I was too young to understand that he had resigned in disgrace after the Watergate scandal. And I remember watching a lot of Walter Cronkite, the iconic CBS anchor whom my parents tuned in to almost every night.
One of my most vivid memories from those early years of my life was celebrating the Bicentennial. The milestone was such a proud moment for my family that my parents took me down to the FDR Drive to watch the fireworks. We never did that on previous Fourth of July celebrations, preferring to avoid the crowds. However, this Fourth was different, and my family wasn’t going to miss it. Neither were countless New Yorkers and Americans across the nation who were watching on TV. Despite the divisive years of the 1960s and early 1970s, the nation came together as one and wouldn’t experience such unity again until, tragically, the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks.
Pivoting back to the present and coming off the Knicks NBA championship, New Yorkers were ready to party like never before on the nation’s 250th birthday this Fourth of July. In addition to a Macy’s fireworks display launched from both the East and Hudson Rivers, there was Sail4th 250, the successor to Operation Sail, the famed parade of ships event that also was held in 1976.
And the celebration continues well after the Fourth across New York City and the state, with special community events and programming at museums and other venues that promise to keep the momentum of the Semiquincentennial and that spirit of unification going.
From Erie County, where you can submit your own “We the People” quilt at the Buffalo-Erie County Public Library, to Monroe County, where an exhibit at the Strong Museum of Play, “Playfully Patriotic,” offers visitors a chance to experience American history “through the lens of play.” Also, the fireworks aren’t over, at least not in Madison County, where there will be a fireworks display at Recognition Park on Legion Drive in Chittenango on Tuesday night after a live performance by Downshift. Fireworks are also promised at NBT Bank Stadium in Syracuse after games played through the end of September.
Among the many events and programs in New York City, the New York Historical is presenting exhibitions and displays in its recently opened Tang Wing of American Democracy. The New York Historical’s programming leading up to and beyond the Semiquincentennial shows how the museum, “with its collections spanning the entire length of the American Revolution as well as key earlier events, is uniquely positioned to facilitate important conversations around the evolution of the American experiment begun 250 years ago on our shores,” Dr. Louise Mirrer, president and CEO, The New York Historical, told O’Donnell & Associates.
Two highlights at the Historical are a Hugh Gaine printing of the Declaration of Independence, as well as a page from an actual “Declaration of Dependence,” signed by loyalists to the crown. And speaking of unifiers, the museum (New York’s oldest) will host an event to take down a statue of King George III on Thursday, just as the colonists did after the Declaration was first read aloud in Manhattan on July 9, 1776.
For more of what’s happening in honor of America’s 250th, the New York State Museum has an online list of events and museum and community programming planned for the coming months.
About Ralph R. Ortega
Ralph has been a reporter and editor for several major newspapers and magazines for more than 30 years, and is now vice president of public affairs at O’Donnell & Associates.
Most recently, he was the editor-in-chief of the award-winning City & State NY magazine. At City & State, Ralph managed a team of talented journalists covering the downfall of former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the ascent of current Gov. Kathy Hochul, New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ election campaign and later his administration, as well as the election of Mayor Zohran Mamdani. In his role, Ralph became a well-known player in New York’s political world, emceeing, moderating, and conducting interviews at City & State events. He also wrote a weekly column that focused on policy, transportation, and advocated for greater Latino representation at City Hall and in city government. Read Ralph’s full bio and contact information.