Every time I walk through Independence National Historical Park, I think about how beautiful it has become over the years. The efforts of individuals, organizations such as the Friends of Independence and local, State and Federal agencies have contributed so much to create a dazzling showcase for our collective history.
This park however, is much more than trees, flowers and buildings. Take time to walk slowly through the crowds. You’ll see and hear the world in microcosm. People from around the world converge on Philadelphia, drawn to the idea of America and curious to see how we became who we are.
In an age where American prestige often takes a beating on the world stage, why do these citizens of the world still come to see where our great experiment in liberty first began? It’s because America is the world in microcosm; a swirling of cultures, ideas and languages that is often messy, argumentative and contradictory. Visitors to the Park come away with a better understanding of how our Founders struggled to create a nation where the individual is a critical part of the whole and where living as members of a free society carries with it great responsibility. To quote from the movie, The American President, “America is advanced citizenship; you’ve got to want it”.
So we plant trees, fix buildings and sweep the pavements of the Park to preserve the history that was made here. Because we do want it and you can show you want it too, by supporting the Friends of Independence.
~ Louisa Hanshew
Governing Board Member
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