Have you ever been to a birthday party where approximately 342 million guests have been invited?
This July 4th, Americans from Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon, from Madison, Wisconsin to Marfa, Texas will gather to pop champagne corks and watch fireworks bedazzle the sky as the U.S. celebrates 250 years.
Just think – a quarter of a millenium….now that’s a milestone worth celebrating.
When Richmond celebrates America’s birthday on July 4th, it will also be celebrating its own as the city was founded on July 4, 1798. The joint birthday celebration will take place at Lake Reba Park, a 75-acre recreational area. Beginning mid-afternoon when celebrants can take advantage of the lake and walking trails, the party continues through the evening fireworks display.
“Because our town shares its birthday with our nation, the holiday carries extra meaning here,” says Lori Murphy, Executive Director of Visit Richmond.
What began as a local gathering in the 1990s has blossomed into a regional tradition, according to Murphy.
“This is the biggest party the city hosts, and it’s the moment our town shows off its best self to the entire region,” she adds.
But a birthday party of this magnitude needs plenty of advance preparation, and to get attendees in the proper patriotic frame of mind, there will be a series of events showcasing America’s (and Richmond’s) birth and those who made it possible.
Sharon Graves, President of the Madison County Historical Society says the events will pay tribute to African Americans (February); Women (March) and War World II veterans (May).
In addition, says Graves, the history and architecture of the past two-and-a-half centuries will also be celebrated.
Graves says the celebrations will kick off this month (date still to be determined) as Richmond honors Black History Month in America and its own African American heritage.
Three interpretive historical markers will be dedicated. Each will feature a map of an area of Richmond which has significant African American history in areas ranging from business and medicine to education and entertainment.
The signs will serve as a companion to the Richmond Tourism Commission’s publication, “Footprints: Traces of African American History in Richmond, Kentucky.”
March is Women’s History Month and what better way to celebrate it than to have Sallie Clay Lanham, a descendant of our own Cassius Clay, present a program on “Kentucky Suffragettes?”
It may have taken nearly another century-and-a-half after the founding of America for voting rights to be given to the female half of its population, but it wasn’t for lack of trying on their part.
Lanham’s program will include the efforts of Clay’s four daughters (Laura Clay, one of the South’s most important suffragists; Mary Barr Clay, Sarah “Sallie” Clay Bennett and Anne Clay Crenshaw) on behalf of the 19th Amendment.
The program is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on March 19th at the Richmond branch of the Madison County Public Library, and is free to the public.
In the pantheon of American heroes, none rank higher than the military, and they will get their due in May when World War II veterans take their place in the spotlight.
On May 21st, also at the Richmond Branch of the Madison County Public Library at 6:30, Dr. James Tandy Coy III will give a talk on “The Last Mission: A World War II Fighter Pilot’s Story.”
Dr. Coy is an expert on the topic, both historically and familiarly as the pilot was his father-in-law, Lt. Col. Richard E. Connor.
The Richmond Branch of the Madison County Library will be a busy place during the birthday year as other programs are also on the agenda: “Wandering in Cemeteries: What a Genealogist Can Learn” (April 16th) and “Pirates in Kentucky: The Terrifying Tale of the Mason Gang” (October 15th).
On September 17th, Graves will celebrate the extensive renovations of the Madison County Courthouse, completed in 1852, with a photo documentation of the renovation, including historical artifacts discovered during the renovation.
What is a party without souvenirs, and Richmond’s celebration will provide plenty of those.
Thanks to a grant from the City of Richmond, a Children’s Activity Book will be handed out at festivals throughout the year. It will include coloring pages, word searches, maze, a break the code crossword puzzle, and more informative fun features.
The Activity Book will cover Richmond and Madison County history, including Native Americans, Boonesborough, White Hall, Battle of Richmond, Tuskegee Airmen and other notable topics.
Another grant from America 250 will allow for the publishing of a book containing the biographies of Revolutionary War soldiers buried in Madison County.
Finally, throughout the year, “This Week in Madison County,” showcasing events in our past will be available on Facebook and/or local newspapers.
According to Graves, Richmond and Madison County’s contributions “should be celebrated with more than the usual fireworks, parades and concerts.
“We should also be remembering and celebrating our past accomplishments, which are numerous enough to be spread over the course of the year.”