In honor of the 250th anniversary of United States independence, the Declaration of Independence was read publicly in a ceremony at the War Memorial Auditorium at City Hall on Wednesday, July 8.
According to Mayor Marc Laredo, the event was intended to renew pride in national identity and bring about civic awareness. “The words still stay with us today. They symbolize and are representative of this great democracy in the United States of America” Laredo said.
The Declaration was read aloud to an audience of about 80 by State Representative Amy Mah Sangiolo, Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan, State Representative Greg Schwartz, City Council President John Oliver, and Mayor Laredo.
State Representative Amy Sangiolo reads the Declaration of Independence (photo: Bruce Henderson) Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan reads the Declaration of Independence (photo: Bruce Henderson) State Representative Greg Schwartz reads the Declaration of Independence (photo: Bruce Henderson) City Council President John Oliver reads the Declaration of Independence (photo: Bruce Henderson) Mayor Marc Laredo reads the Declaration of Independence (photo: Bruce Henderson)
“It’s a very very powerful document,” said Ward Three City Councilor-at-Large Pam Wright. “Just hearing it again — it was so beyond its time.”
In their speeches, Laredo, Sangiolo, and Schwartz recognized the historical willingness of Newton residents from as far back as 250 years ago to unanimously support independence, revolution, and democracy.
“I lived in a communist country in the past and I know the difference in what democracy is, and I want to support that,” said a City Hall employee who attended the event and asked to not be named.
The event began with a procession by the Newton Police and Fire Department color guard, and a live performance of “The Star Spangled Banner” by rising Newton North freshman Kaitlyn Morra.
Attendees emphasized the importance of the Declaration of Independence to modern times.
“I am serving in City government, and I feel like this is an incredibly important document in civil life,” said Ward Six City Councilor-at-Large Lisa Gordon.
District Attorney Ryan added, “An important piece of our work is upholding the law, and these documents set the framework,” she said.
According to Laredo, “One of the beauties of a document like the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution is not only are they in the language of the present when they’re written, but they can be understood in a different way 250 years later.”
Laredo added that the United States is unique in that its Revolution is unlike any other and it is a nation of immigrants.
To close the gathering, Morra took the stage again to perform “America the Beautiful.”
A historically accurate copy of the Declaration of Independence — created with a historically accurate printing press on linen and cotton paper — was presented to the City by Newton’s State Delegation and displayed during the event.
See NewTV’s video of the event.
