As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, original founding-era documents arrived in Houston this week aboard the Boeing 737 “Freedom Plane” and were welcomed with a ceremonial water cannon salute.
The “Freedom Plane National Tour: Documents That Forged a Nation” traveling exhibition will be displayed at major museums across the nation, including the Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS), for the first time in history.
Houston is one of the eight American cities to welcome the National Archives records that helped shape the country.
“Houston has always been a city that looks forward while honoring the past,” said Houston First President and CEO Michael Heckman during the plane’s arrival ceremony at Hobby Airport. “The innovation, grit and determination that gave rise to this remarkable nation 250 years ago are values alive and well in Houston today.”
Organized by the National Archives and Records Administration, in partnership with the National Archives Foundation, the free exhibition will run from May 8 to 28 and will give HMNS visitors the opportunity to view the following documents:
- Original Engraving of the Declaration of Independence, 1823
- Articles of Association, 1774
- George Washington’s, Alexander Hamilton’s, and Aaron Burr’s Oaths of Allegiance, 1778
- Treaty of Paris, 1783
- Secret Printing of the Constitution in Draft Form, 1787
- Tally of Votes Approving the Constitution, 1787
Joel Bartsch, President and CEO of HMNS, said there is no more fitting tribute to the nation’s 250th anniversary than these documents traveling across the country to be viewed directly by the American people. “These are not replicas or reproductions,” Bartsch said. “They are the genuine records, and Houston will have the rare privilege of experiencing them in person.”
“To the Houstonians and our visitors who will see this exhibit in the coming days and weeks, I hope you are inspired—not just by how we as a nation got to where we are today, but where we are going in the future—together,” Heckman said.
Photos courtesy of HMNS/Photographer Mike Rathke
Written by Norma Salcedo
