Rowan County officials announced on May 15 that a dedication ceremony for the county’s new Charters of Freedom setting will take place on Wednesday, May 27 at 4:00 p.m. The event, open to the public, will be held at 1965 Jake Alexander Blvd W in Salisbury.
The installation brings permanent replicas of the Declaration of Independence, United States Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Civil Rights Amendments to Rowan County as part of America’s upcoming 250th birthday celebrations. Organizers say this effort is made possible through collaboration between county commissioners and Foundation Forward, Inc., an educational nonprofit based in Burke County.
Rowan County will become the 78th community nationwide and the 48th in North Carolina to host a Charters of Freedom setting installed by Foundation Forward. The organization was founded by Vance and Mary Jo Patterson after their visit to view America’s founding documents at the National Archives. “Seeing something our founding fathers had actually penned, and then seeing their signatures – Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Rutledge, Wilson, and the others – I just got goosebumps. And then when we moved over and saw those first three words of the Constitution, We the People, I actually got a lump in my throat,” said Vance Patterson. “It was really an emotional experience,” Patterson recalled.
Foundation Forward aims to make these historic documents accessible without requiring travel to Washington D.C., providing hands-on education in American history and civics for local communities. “Imagine, if you will,” said Patterson during his dedication speech,“school teachers bringing their 3rd, 4th ,and 5th-grade classes to their Charters of Freedom for annual field trips to learn a little about our founding fathers…and how government is meant to serve and protect We the People.”
A Donor Recognition Pedestal has also been placed next to the display so citizens can honor loved ones or recognize military members or first responders through tax-deductible donations via Foundation Forward’s website or phone number.
Education remains a key concern locally; among Rowan County school districts’ ACT test-takers in recent years only about one-fifth were considered college-ready in reading while even fewer met benchmarks for science or math achievement according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
Organizers hope that greater access to foundational American documents will foster civic engagement among students as well as provide opportunities for reflection within Rowan County.
