White House Historical Association’s Post

55 Stories, One Nation: Celebrating July 4th Nearly 250 years ago in Philadelphia, a fledgling America boldly declared independence from Britain to forge what the United States Constitution later deemed "a more perfect Union." Today, we understand that America's story isn't a single narrative but a tapestry woven from diverse histories. It encompasses the struggles and triumphs of countless individuals and communities who have shaped the nation's identity. This Fourth of July, delve into stories from every single state, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, American Samoa, US Virgin Islands, and Guam. By sharing these stories, we honor our civic duty to embrace the full spectrum of American history and preserve the places integral to our collective identity. https://ow.ly/A78350StBSb

Juneteenth recognizes the freedom of enslaved people of African descent in Texas. It occurred nearly two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation for the freedom news to travel to Galveston, TX. The Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, TX, on June 19, 1865. As of June 17, 2021, Congress approved a new bill recognizing Juneteenth as a national holiday. Interestingly, culinary traditions play a significant role in Juneteenth celebrations. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/4c0DXS4

Here is our Declaration of Independence, in a readable format.

Richard Henry Lee and Francis Lightfoot Lee, the sons of Stratford Hall founder Thomas Lee, were the only brothers among the fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence. Their older brother Thomas Ludwell Lee was an active member of the Virginia Convention which instructed the Virginia delegation to make the resolution for independence from Great Britain. On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee, senior member of the Virginia delegation to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia, presented a three-part resolution, "Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved. That it is expedient forthwith to take the most effectual measures for forming foreign Alliances. That a plan of confederation be prepared and transmitted to the respective Colonies for their consideration and approbation." When Congress reconvened on #OnThisDay (July 2, 1776), it adopted the Lee resolution almost unanimously—New York did not cast a vote. Immediately, Congress began to shape the Declaration document to its final form, which was officially adopted on July 4—the day of its annual celebration in the United States. #stratfordhall #declarationofindependence #history #virginiahistory #historymatters #americanhistory #nnk250 #va250

In celebration of our country's independence, we hope you take some time to read the document that is a cornerstone of our great nation. Created by our founding fathers - the unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America. https://lnkd.in/eyVZ3Ty

Today, the White House celebrates the 25th Annuversary of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI). President Biden and Vice President Harris celebrate the diversity of cultures, breadth of achievement, and remarkable contributions of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) communities, while also recognizing the systemic barriers to equity, justice, and opportunity that still put the American dream out of reach for far too many AA and NHPI people across the United States. For more than three years, the Biden-Harris Administration has leveraged the full force of the Federal Government to ensure the promise of America for all AA and NHPI communities — including by issuing an Executive Order establishing the President’s Advisory Commission and White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI). https://lnkd.in/ebzN32bN

2024 – What Would The American Forefathers Be Thinking And Actioning? It's impossible to say definitively how the Founding Fathers would handle the situation in America in 2024. They operated in a vastly different context, with distinct values, priorities, and political realities. However, we can speculate based on their writings, actions, and the principles they laid out.  Document: https://lnkd.in/gUKeKqTq

“To save America the first imperative is to remove from power the ideologues of both parties who have nearly killed our country. In his final chapter, Buchanan lays out ideas to prevent the end of America. He calls for a bottom-up review of all of America’s Cold War commitments, a ten-point program to secure America’s borders, ideas to halt the erosion of our national sovereignty and restore our manufacturing preeminence and economic independence, and a formula for finding the way to a cold peace in the culture wars. Buchanan offers a radical but necessary program, for neither party is addressing the real crisis of America -- whether we survive as one nation and people, or disintegrate into what Theodore Roosevelt called a “tangle of squabbling nationalities” and not a nation at all. IN THIS EYE-OPENING BOOK, PAT BUCHANAN REVEALS THE PERILOUS PATH OUR NATION HAS TAKEN:”

Today I recognize Juneteenth Day and provide you with a little history. June 19, 1863 was the day 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas to emancipate more than 250,000 enslaved black people in the state who were the last under Confederate control. Texas, as the most remote state of the former Confederacy, had seen an expansion of slavery because the presence of Union troops was low as the American Civil War ended; thus, the enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation had been slow and inconsistent there. To put it into perspective, June 19 was 900 days after the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect from Abraham Lincoln. The post-emancipation period, known as Reconstruction (1865-1877) marked an era of great hope, but also uncertainty and struggle for our nation. In 1996, the first federal legislation was introduced to recognize Juneteenth Day, but it wouldn't become a federal holiday until 2021 when President Joe Biden signed the bill. Until then, it had been recognized as a commemoration or holiday in some US states by 1980, including Texas. Happy Juneteenth, America! #juneteenth #independenceday #america