Party like it's the 150th

I'd never heard of The American's Creed
until reading it in a 1926 issue of the South
Florida Developer newspaper.
(Credit: oldnews.com)

Independence Day celebrations had strong patriotic flair in 1926. The United States was observing the Sesquicentennial of the country's independence. Our nation's 150th anniversary was honored across the states and even in other countries. 

Floridians toasted independence at local gatherings, and the state's newspapers alerted readers about festivities taking place elsewhere. 

On June 10, 1926, the Key West Citizen had an article about the country's big Sesquicentennial International Exposition. It was staged in Philadelphia from May through November to celebrate the 150th anniversary of American independence and the 50th anniversary of the 1876 Centennial Exposition. The Central Florida Times (Ocala) reported there was a "heated controversary" about whether the Exposition should be open on Sundays. Its first Sunday opening was, appropriately, July 4, 1926, and 25,000 people attended that day.

On July 5, 1926, the Central Florida Times boasted that the 150th was honored in Paris, Buenos Aires, Prague, Warsaw and even London. In most of those places, locals joined the party on July 4 to support American ex-pats and diplomats. Polish newspapers ran editorials about the American Constitution, declaring that "although the shortest, it was the greatest in the world."

Reading that almost makes me sad, when I think how polarized our country is as we herald our 250th anniversary. How other countries probably won't note it with laudatory praise. How some of our own citizens will protest our country's very existence. 

Then I learned people were grumbling around the time of the 150th, too. On July 2, 1926, the South Florida Developer newspaper (Stuart) reported that some local residents declared that a Law Observance Rally needed to take place. The Declaration of Independence would be read, patriotic songs sung, speeches given, a picnic enjoyed by all, games and sports played. A parade would close the (long) day. 

No word on whether that took place. But something close did. Everyone was invited to the patriotic Independence Day celebration being organized by the American Legion in Stuart. A band was to play patriotic music from 3:30 to 4 p.m. Afterward, a special program would be read and veterans of the Civil War, Spanish-American War and World War I would be recognized. 

The program would end with everyone in attendance reciting what the newspaper article called America's creed. I've included a photo that shows the text.

I was unfamiliar with the creed, so I asked AI. It told me the text is The American's Creed and it was written in 1917 by William Tyler Page and adopted by the U.S. House of Representatives in 1918. Since AI is known to hallucinate, I double checked the link it gave me to the Congressional Record. AI was correct. The URL is really long but I've put the link at the bottom of this blog post. 

Interestingly, the same day's newspaper issue reported that bishops of the M.E. Church had asked pastors to observe Independence Day as Loyalty Day. The bishops' specific appeal made me take notice:

"Pastors are to hold special services in efforts to rally young people in open demonstration against attacks that are being made upon the constitution of the United States." 

Maybe the attacks had something to do with Prohibition? The newspaper noted a similar movement had already taken place in Atlanta, where thousands of people ages 14 to 35 participated in a Dry Parade. Many carried signs proclaiming, "Hold Fast America." City notables made "dry" speeches. (Prohibition was the focus of the 18th amendment to the Constitution. It was ratified in 1919 and in effect until repealed in 1933.) 

Back in Florida, in Homosassa, "all Citrus County" joined in celebrating the Sesquicentennial on July 4, reported the Central Florida Times on July 8, 1926. The county chamber of commerce staged a "monster picnic and get-together."

"The entire day was given to the patriotic celebration and to the various sports." Activities included community singing and a reading of the Declaration of Independence. Judges gave speeches about sacrifices made by those who fought for the country's freedom. Festivities concluded with a baseball game between two local teams. 

Not sure any community singings are on 2026 Independence Day agendas. Ditto for long speeches. And if you hear any readings of The American's Creed, let me know. I'm not sure the Declaration of Independence is even publicly read these days. The last time I heard it publicly read was during a visit to Fort Ticonderoga many years ago. And it wasn't July 4. 

There will, however, be plenty of fireworks. AI tells me that because of minimal fireworks safety regulations in 1926, people celebrated with pyrotechnics that are heavily regulated today. 

However you celebrate, may you enjoy your July 4th and our country's 250th. And remember we're still evolving. Our democratic republic is a never-ending experiment worth continuing, improving and honoring.

Learn more about The American's Creed here: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/SERIALSET-08579_00_00-152-0416-0000/pdf/SERIALSET-08579_00_00-152-0416-0000.pdf

What a difference 25 years makes

July 4th festivities in 1884 DeLand. Note the flag
with 13 stars. Photo credit: Florida Memory

I tend to consider the decades of the late 19th and early 20th centuries as one lump of time: Florida's pioneer era. Yet within that era people and places grew and evolved, much as we do in modern years. To illustrate, here are comparisons between July 4 celebrations in 1884 and 1909.

This photo depicts the holiday's festivities in DeLand in 1884. The Florida Memory webpage states that the image was captured on the holiday itself - July 4. I'd never seen this photo before and I've seen a lot of vintage DeLand images. At first I was suspect. The scene doesn't look like DeLand. The downtown buildings aren't recognizable to me. But the distant trees in the middle of the road give the photo credence. Early DeLandites did, indeed, plant trees in the middle of the main boulevard.

My guess is that the scene depicts the end of a parade, one that was slim on participation. Nonetheless, it was a legit holiday observance. Note the giant, 13-star flag on display. And how people came out to watch the procession. They're all gathered in the shady spots. What else did townsfolk do that day? Can't say from the photo. Perhaps a picnic. Games and music. Surely something more than one straggly parade.

Now listen to how folks in Pensacola partied on July 4, 1909. In a giant headline on its front page, the July 6 issue of the Pensacola Journal proclaimed that a record-breaking crowd visited Palmetto Beach for the 4th of July. "Pensacola and Pensacolans turned themselves loose in this year's celebration of Independence Day," the article breathlessly proclaims.

A giant picnic hosted by the Knights of Columbus was deemed the crowning feature of hours of festivities. The leading feature was a baseball game played by teams from Pensacola and Fort Barrancas. The city team won, 12-3. "A list of sports of other kinds was also pulled off, to the delight and amusement of hundreds of people," the article says.

The day didn't end there. Dancing, vaudeville, bathing, and music by a "highly efficient orchestra" added to the celebration's luster. Things didn't wind down until the "last moon-lit night hour." The article makes particular note of the smooth, orderly transit of people to and from festivities via the city's "electric line."

I'm not sure what the electric line was; perhaps a trolley. One thing is certain, the 1884 celebration relied on horsepower and solar lighting a la sunshine, not electricity.

Which event was better?  I'd venture to say each was a success. You can't compare the two, really. They're products of their time. In 1884, electricity and the year 1909 belonged to the future. In 1909, nobody thought about a world war soon to loom on the horizon. Still, though a quarter-century apart in years and culture, the celebrants were united in their appreciation of the United States. That sentiment still stands. Happy Fourth of July.