Let Freedom Ring!
The Philadelphia Martin Luther King, Jr, Association for Nonviolence, Inc, once again honored the memory of Dr. King with a bell tapping ceremony at the Liberty Bell in Independence National Historical Park. This annual event serves as an opportunity to reflect on the contributions of Dr. King and the relevance of the Liberty Bell as a symbol of peace and unity for our nation. "Dr. King himself made a pilgrimage to Independence Hall, where the Bell was physically located at that time, and the impression of that visit was considerable, remembering his impassioned plea to 'let freedom ring,'" said Acting Superintendent BJ Dunn. "The Liberty Bell is a national symbol of peace and unity. It continues to bring our nation together as evidenced by the millions who come to see it here each year." Click Here to Read More |
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Staffing Note
Superintendent Cynthia MacLeod is on detail to the Northeast Region. She is serving as the acting Associate Director for Park Operations. While on detail, Deputy Director BJ Dunn will be acting superintendent. We would like to welcome Linda Cook, Superintendent Weir Farm National Historic Site who will be serving as acting deputy through March.
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National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior
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The National Park service cares for the special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage
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Independence National Historical Park
143 S. Third StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19106_________________________ Comments? Write to: Jane Cowley, INHP Public Affairs Officer 143 S. Third Street Philadelphia, PA 19106 Phone: (215) 597-0060 Fax: (215) 597- 0042 Email: Jane_Cowley@nps.gov
U.S.Department of the Interior
NPS Photographers
Park Staff
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Independence NHP's Newest Exhibit
President's House: Freedom and Slavery in the Making of a New Nation opened on Wednesday, December 15, after more than 5 years of design development, 8 years of vigorous public participation, and 10 years after ground was first broken for the Liberty Bell Center in Independence National Historical Park. The commemorative, open-air installation marks the site where the nation's first two presidents, George Washington and John Adams, served portions of their terms of office and began to shape the executive branch of government. It also marks the site where the presidents lived as well as worked, and the stories of the exhibit include the entire presidential households.
Click Here to Read More |
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Independence Celebrates two Famous Philadelphians
 | | Franklin (Bill Roebling), Carolinn Skyler, and Poe (Paul Campbell) |
In honor of the January birthdays of gifted authors and editors, Benjamin Franklin and Edgar Allan Poe, the staff of Independence National Historical Park and the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site marked the occasion with special programs designed for Poe and Franklin fans of all ages.
On Friday, January 14, Poe and Franklin devotees gathered in the Franklin Court Underground Museum, where historical re-enactors Bill Roebling and Paul Campbell represented Benjamin Franklin and Edgar Allan Poe as hosts for a screening of the 1928 silent film, The Fall of the House of Usher. The film addresses many themes of Poe's literature and makes reference to other famed Poe stories. Well-known glass armonicist Carolinn Skyler accompanied the movie on the glass armonica, the instrument invented by Benjamin Franklin.
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President-Elect to Visit Independence Hall |
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The National Park Service is sponsoring programming that will commemorate the 150th anniversary of President-elect Lincoln's trip from Springfield, Illinois to Washington, DC, on February 11-23, 2011, by revisiting sixteen cities and towns at which Lincoln made remarks. One of these sites is Independence Hall in Philadelphia, which President-elect Lincoln visited on February 22, 1861. Independence National Historical Park is working with Philadelphia partners to commemorate the 150th anniversary of this visit from 8 am to 9:30 am on February 22, 2011.
After speaking to delegates inside Independence Hall on February 22, 1861, Lincoln stepped outside to raise a 34-star flag, which included a new star for the new state of Kansas, admitted to the union a month previously. |
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Click Here for More Information |
Aitken Bible Returns to Independence Hall
Visitors to the Assembly Room in Independence Hall will once again see on the Speaker's table a 1782 edition of the Bible by Philadelphia printer Robert Aitken. It is documented that Aitken published the first American Bible in the English language, and that he provided Congress with a copy. While that specific copy isn't known to survive, Independence National Historical Park acquired another copy of that same printing.
Historical documentation of the Assembly Library's holdings is scarce. The Aitken Bible, which was added to the Assembly Library in 1782, is the only specific printing of the Bible for which there is definitive evidence of use in the room during the 18th century. It is likely that there were other, English Bible printings in the room over time, but these have not yet been identified by date or publisher. As a result, the Aitken Bible is currently the only Bible exhibited in the Assembly Room.
This Bible has been displayed in Independence Hall previously. In 2005, it was removed from display for conservation.
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EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA™
Winter Programs
Saturday, February 5th 10am to 12 noon AND Saturday, February 19 1:00pm to 3:00pm
The President's House: Freedom and Slavery in the Making of a New Nation --- Video, Performance and Tour
This program delves into the background of the new powerful installation on Independence Mall with a background video, performance by an actress portraying Oney Judge and a National Park Ranger-led walking tour of the President's House and Underground Railroad sites in historic Philadelphia. Beginning with the Underground Railroad exhibit in the Independence Visitor Center, visitors will discover how Philadelphia became the "birthplace of the Underground Railroad," and how Oney Judge used the nascent network to gain her freedom in the North; visit locations that served the Underground Railroad throughout the Anti-Bellum period; hear of heroic tales of those who risked recapture in a city very unfriendly to the fugitive; and learn the role Independence Hall played in the saga that is the Underground Railroad.
On Saturday and Sunday, February 19 and 20, at 1pm
Celebrate President's Day at Independence National Historical Park
The Portrait Gallery in the Second Bank contains nearly 200 portraits, including those of six presidents. Some were former members of Congress, others served in the military, and some were ambassadors to other nations. Each man who became president brought unique talents to the position. Join a National Park Service ranger and find out more about them as we celebrate Presidents Day (February 21st) with a tour on Saturday & Sunday, February 19 & 20 at 1:00pm (30 minutes).
Tuesday, February 22 at 7:45 am.
150th Anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's Inaugural
Details on Page 3.
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