City of Clarksville, TN

02/08/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/08/2024 23:23

The Road to 250, a Birthday Celebration for America!

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn.- America will celebrate its 250th birthday in 2026. This will be our country's semi quincentennial, and the greater Clarksville-Montgomery County area has plans to participate in the celebration.

In anticipation, Austin Peay State University President Michael Licari, Montgomery County Mayor Wes Golden, Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts, Fort Campbell Commanding General MG Brett Sylvia, and President & CEO of the Fort Campbell Historical Foundation, MG (Ret) Brian Winski, have signed a joint proclamation in support of community efforts to celebrate under the general title of "The Road to 250."

America's national motto is e pluribus unum (out of many one), and in this spirit, a number of organizations led by APSU have planned a program to celebrate our nation's history. The complete program will consist of 14 events (12 dramatic readings one open house and one concert) and be called "The Road to 250: America's Story." Each reading will address a major theme in American history and feature a narrator who will tell the story with actors in costume who will depict key speakers and/or iconic events that illustrate the narrative. There will be three dramatic readings each semester, beginning in the fall 2024 semester. The narrators will be subject matter specialists, and the actors will be APSU Department of Theatre and Dance students. All dramatic readings will be about one hour in length with 30 minutes for discussion afterward and held on stage at the APSU Mabry Auditorium.

The open house will be in June 2026 at the Tennessee Wings of Liberty Museum sponsored by the Fort Campbell Historical Foundation. The final event will be an elaborate concert on the stage of the Mabry Auditorium and feature American music by The Cumberland Winds, on or about the 4th of July 2026. All Road to 250 events will be free and open to the public.


Envisioned sessions include:

  1. The Evolution of Democratic Thought and The Prelude to War (by Dr. Richard Gildrie),11 Sept. 2024.
  2. The Revolutionary War (by Dr. Kevin Tanner), 9 Oct. 2024.
  3. Writing the Constitution (by Dr. Kevin Tanner, 13 Nov. 2024.
  4. Westward Expansion (by Mr. Nick Tooley), 12 Feb. 2025.
  5. The Military and America, (by Mr. William Parker), 12 March 2025.
  6. Economic Growth (by Dr. Greg Zieren), 9 April 2025.
  7. Scientific Developments (by Dr. Phil Kemmerly), 10 Sept. 2025.
  8. Education in America (by Dr. Carlette Hardin), 8 Oct. 2025.
  9. Medical Developments (by Dr. Tom Grabenstein), 12 Nov. 2025.
  10. American Society, 11 Feb. 2025.
  11. American Culture (by Mr. Frank Lott and Dr. Andrea Spofford), 11 March 2026.
  12. America and the World (by Dr. Dewey Browder and Dr. Dlynn Williams), 8 April 2026.
  13. Open House by the Fort Campbell Historical Foundation (MG [Ret] Brian Winski) June 2026.
  14. 250 Years of American Music (by Mr. Mike Ritter and The Cumberland Winds), 2-4 July 2026.

Co-sponsoring agencies are: the APSU Department of History and Philosophy, the APSU Department of Theatre and Dance, the APSU Department of Music, the APSU Department of Communications, the APSU Retirees Association (APSURA), the APSU Woodward Library Society, the Valentine Sevier Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), Fort Defiance Military Museum and Interpretive Center, the Customs House Museum and Cultural Center, Roxy Theatre, the Military Officers Association of America, Captain William Edmiston Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), and the Clarksville Civitan Club.

In addition to the 14-part celebration of national history, the Clarksville-Montgomery County Arts and Heritage Council is sponsoring a community-wide effort to enable civic elements, churches, public- support organizations, educational institutions, and assorted societies to tell how their respective entities have contributed to community and national success in the spirit of e pluribus unum. This celebratory series will be called "The Road to 250: Community Spirit in Action." Community elements are invited to submit short essays of 250-750 words to the Arts and Heritage Council telling their story along with two or three photos. Accepted essays will be published periodically in local media starting in April and running into the summer of 2026.

Watch for updates on the Clarksville Arts & Heritage Council web page at artsandheritage.us/.