RALEIGH — The North Carolina Semiquincentennial Committee heard presentations and updates on America 250 celebration planning during its November meeting.
The meeting, opened by Committee Co-Chair Rep. Hugh Blackwell (R-Burke) and Sen. Ted Alexander (R-Cleveland), lasted several hours and included multiple presentations.
Mike Leonard, senior adviser to the Conservation Fund and a ninth-generation North Carolinian with personal ties to the American Revolution, presented on “Revolutionary War Trail Opportunities,” including leveraging state-owned lands for historic trails.
Leonard highlighted existing trails, easements and low-cost enhancements like signage as “great opportunities” to prioritize for the 250th celebrations. His presentation emphasized the Overmountain Victory Trail and the “Race to the Dan” campaign.
“These are things where we have already existing opportunities that all we need to do is take advantage of them,” Leonard said. “And again, I think there are people in this room who can help us take advantage of them.”
Alexander thanked Leonard for the presentation and commented the committee would see what they could do about approaching some of the agencies involved as well as funding from the legislature to develop some of the trails.
Rep. John Torbett (R-Gaston) presented on the “First in Freedom” license plate, discussing its history, design and its original issuance for the bicentennial (1975-80). Torbett noted the plate was also brought back to honor the Mecklenburg Declaration (May 20, 1775) and Halifax Resolves (April 12, 1776).
“I’ll leave you with Franklin’s words, ‘A republic, if you can keep it’,” Torbett said in closing after urging bringing the plate back for the 250th. “So let’s keep it.”
The committee also received a presentation by Dixie Abernathy titled “In Honor of Our Semiquincentennial: The Ancestral Tree and Patriotic Journey of a Great North Carolina Family.”
Abernathy, a former North Carolina Teacher of the Year and Queens University professor, discussed a three-book trilogy covering the Revolutionary War, post-Civil War recovery and World War II patriotism. She concluded her overview of the books by tying Stuart W. Kramer Jr.’s military exploits and his family’s story of “faith” and “patriotism” to the upcoming 250th anniversary.
In other business, committee member Troy Kickler handed out copies of a committee-branded edition of the North Carolina and U.S. constitutions for public outreach purposes. He also gave an update on working with a Texas museum regarding costs and locations for traveling artifact displays.
Grace Evangelista with the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources gave updates on the committee’s website, including the addition of monthly events, a national celebrations menu, committee member activities and photo submissions. Kickler told the committee members to send photos and other media to him for placement on the site.
Upcoming planning for events like a celebratory special concert and an “American Constitution” feature film was among the new business.
Paul Norcross, co-founder of the Celebrate America Foundation, announced a July 3, 2026, brass band and choir concert will be held at the High Point Theater with help of its first contribution of $25,000 from the Polk Foundation.
“Sen. Alexander’s vision for a concert is coming to fruition,” Norcross told the committee. He said PBS has agreed to record it, adding, “So we’ve got to start raising money aggressively.”
David Garrigus, the filmmaker behind the film, invited the committee to partner with him for a national screening tour of his film, which centers on Constitution’s creation.
“This new feature film unveils the dramatic creation of our Constitution,” said Garrigus, adding that the audience also gets to participate in a live Q&A with an expert panel.
Garrigus said he’s seeking $500 per event in matching funds for dozens of screenings in North Carolina following a similar model he used in Ohio.
Near the end of the meeting, Kickler proposed a letter be drafted commending the Raleigh Sons of the American Revolution chapter for recreating the N.C. Brigade Wagon, which is based on a Swiss artist’s 1781 sketch. A motion was made and passed that Kickler draft the letter and produce it at the next meeting of the committee, which Blackwell said would likely be in January 2026.
