America’s 250th anniversary is a chance to remember what made the American experiment possible, and to decide how we will carry it forward.
Over the past six months, Americans across the country have joined us to celebrate our founding principles in action. Each month brought a new theme, a new challenge, and a new way to take part.
Together, those moments have shown something important: America’s founding ideas still move people, and freedom is strongest when citizens choose to act.
Six months of taking one small step
We began in January with “When in the Course of Human Events.”
In Philadelphia, the birthplace of American independence, Americans for Prosperity, Concerned Veterans for America, and The LIBRE Initiative gathered with community members to reflect on self-government and the courage it took to declare independence.
The message was simple: America began when ordinary people decided their voices mattered.
In February, “The Pursuit of Happiness” turned the focus to the American Dream.
At events in Washington, D.C., and Springfield, Illinois, people shared what that dream means to them and how freedom creates room to build a better life.
Speakers like Former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (below) reminded attendees at our D.C. event that it’s our founding ideas that make America exceptional.
You can read more about the event here.
March brought “One Small Step” to Nashville for “Give Me Liberty.”
At the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum, hundreds of attendees reflected on the courage and self-determination that shaped America’s original frontier. They also made personal commitments to strengthen their communities and country.
Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs was one of the speakers. He shared what the American Dream meant to him as a kid who grew up on a farm and now serves as the mayor of Tennessee’s third-most populous county.
Watch his message by clicking on the video below:
In April, “A Plant of Rapid Growth” celebrated American innovation.
At our Greensboro, North Carolina, event, attendees reflected on how freedom gives inventors, entrepreneurs, and problem-solvers room to experiment, create, and improve everyday life.
That idea matters because progress rarely starts with permission from the top. It starts with someone willing to try.
You can watch the event’s full congressional panel here, featuring U.S. Reps. Pat Harrigan, Brad Knott, and Addison McDowell.
Remembering what freedom costs
May’s theme, “Last Full Measure of Devotion,” turned our attention to sacrifice.
Our marquee event that month honored Memorial Day. Hundreds of Floridians gathered beside the USS Orleck Naval Museum in Jacksonville for an evening hosted by CVA, AFP, and LIBRE.
Veterans, military families, and community members came together to remember the Americans who gave their lives in service to the country.
Speakers like U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody, CVA Executive Director John Vick, and actor Rob Riggle reflected on service, responsibility, and the true meaning of Memorial Day.
Throughout the evening, we reminded attendees that freedom is not free, and remembrance cannot be passive. We honor sacrifice by living with gratitude and carrying forward the principles others gave everything to defend.
Watch CVA’s event highlight video below:
The Declaration Project brought it all together
Over the past two months, the Declaration Project invited Americans to spend seven minutes reading the Declaration of Independence and reflecting on dignity, freedom, opportunity, the rule of law, limited government, and civic duty.
The results were staggering.
More than 135,000 people accepted that invitation.
Our Declaration Project video has passed 400,000 views. At the Great American State Fair, we held more than 24,000 conversations and collected 18,000 signatures on our Declaration display.
Those numbers represent families reading together, neighbors talking about America’s founding, and citizens deciding their voices still matter.
The Declaration Project helped us remember where the story began.
Now the question is what we do next.
Keep celebrating with us
In August, One Small Step turns to “The Heart of Our Nation.”
This month, we are celebrating entrepreneurs, small businesses, and everyday problem-solvers who take risks, create jobs, and serve their communities.
Celebrate by signing up for the August toolkit to recognize a small-business owner and take your next step with us.
You can also join us on Saturday, August 22, from noon to 3 p.m. CT at Adventureland Park in Altoona, Iowa, for a special One Small Step celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.
There are two paths for America’s future: one of freedom and one of top-down control.
We’re choosing freedom, and we’re just getting started.
Watch our video below to see what we have planned for the rest of the year.
