Full article published on the CommonWealth Beacon. By Brian Boyles, executive director of Mass Humanities.
Next month, the eyes of the world will turn to Lexington and Concord. April 19 marks the first battle of the Revolutionary War — the shot heard ’round the world — and this year kicks off commemorations of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, events that will unfold across the nation through 2026.
Recent questions about Massachusetts’s readiness for the Semiquincentennial have focused on who bears responsibility for the preparations, how we compare to other states, and where and when the biggest celebrations will take place.
The milestone anniversary is a significant opportunity for economic development. The tourism industry in Massachusetts employs more than 150,000 people, and the coming year should benefit the residents and businesses who depend on travelers for their livelihoods. State and local officials deserve our thanks for the years of planning that will culminate in reenactments, parades, and special events in every corner of the Commonwealth.
Yet the most important questions about the 250th are the ones that remain unanswered: Why is the Revolution important today? And to whom?
The ways that leaders, tourists, and locals in Massachusetts respond to these questions can energize the collective imagination of our state at this critical point in the nation’s journey. If we truly wish to compete with our fellow patriots in Pennsylvania and Virginia, let us follow the example of Samuel Adams. Let us be bold about our beliefs and the messages we send to the nation.
To do this, we must create avenues of engagement for residents and visitors who aren’t instantly inspired by a tricornered hat, but who find hope in the promises of the Revolution, the same promises we still fight for today: equality for all, freedom from tyranny, and a representative democracy.
