Driving down Avenue of the States on a steamy hot day last week, a group of people gathered outside the old Courthouse caught my eye. They were all just milling around in front of the building, and I spotted two individuals in the crowd dressed in colonial garb. Curiosity got the better of me, so I parked and went to go see what was going on. Turns out, it was July 8th, and it was the traditional, annual reading of the “Declaration of Independence” in its entirety…the original version.
“The only thing that is wrong with the democratic process is the failure to use it.” Seymour Graubard
Readers may ask, “why is this a big deal?” I get it. We just celebrated the nation’s birthday, and the Declaration of Independence was read then, correct? Yes, it was. However, this reading was different. I don’t believe that I’ve ever heard the original document read in its entirety, and if I did, I didn’t listen as intently as I did on that day. That’s when it struck me that in the present societal climate of the nation, this document should resonate even more than it did when it was first introduced 246 years.
**********
Thank you for reading Lorraine Lavender-Sams’ article on scoopnewsusa.com. For more on “Discovering the Nation’s history in Chester”, please subscribe to SCOOP USA Media. Print subscriptions are $75 and online subscriptions (Print, Digital, and VIZION) are $90. (52 weeks / 1 year).
