SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT COMMEMORATES 250th ANNIVERSARY OF UNITED STATES INDEPENDENCE
NEWS from the Shelby County Mayor’s Office
Lee Harris, Mayor
Vasco A. Smith, Jr., Administration Building
11th Floor, 160 North Main, Memphis, Tennessee 38103
MEDIA ADVISORY
JUNE 30, 2026
Tia M. Jackson
Communications Specialist
Mobile: 901.484.1161
Office: 901.222.2011
Email: [email protected]
SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT COMMEMORATES
250th ANNIVERSARY OF UNITED STATES INDEPENDENCE
WHO: Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris, Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy, Rhodes College History Professor Charles McKinney,Cultural Health Strategist & Researcher Dr. Andrea Jacobo, and Reverend Earle Fisher
WHAT: Commemoration of the 250th Anniversary of United States Independence
WHEN: Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at 11:30 a.m.
WHERE: 160 N. Main St., Memphis, TN, 38103, Lobby
Shelby County, TN – On Wednesday, July 1, at 11:30 a.m., Shelby County Government will host a commemorative program honoring the Semiquincentennial, marking 250 years since the founding of the United States. The program will take place in the lobby of 160 N. Main St.
Through remarks, presentations, and historical reflections, attendees will have the opportunity to connect the nation’s founding ideals with the ongoing work of strengthening communities and preserving democratic institutions for future generations.
Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris: “As the nation prepares to celebrate this historic milestone, the event will reflect on the enduring principles of liberty, self-government, and civic engagement established by the Declaration of Independence and carried forward through generations of Americans.”
Steve Mulroy, District Attorney of Shelby County: “We were the first constitutional republic, and the first colony to become independent, in the history of the world. And we’re still here, a quarter of a millennium later. That’s worth celebrating—especially by local government, the heart of small-d democracy.”
Charles McKinney, Professor of History, Rhodes College: “The Semiquincentennial presents an important opportunity for critical inquiry and investigation. Rather than embracing a simplistic or celebratory narrative, we should engage thoughtfully with the complexities of our history, asking difficult questions, confronting uncomfortable truths, and recognizing the diverse voices that have shaped our democracy. The anniversary should inspire a deeper understanding of how freedom has been contested, expanded, and reimagined across generations.”
Dr. Andrea Jacobo, Cultural Health Strategist and Researcher: “The 250th anniversary of American Independence offers an opportunity to honor those who challenged systems of oppression and to consider our own responsibility in advancing democracy today. Remembering the past honestly is not an act of division, it is an act of civic engagement. By confronting the complexities of our history, we can better understand the unfinished work of freedom and build a more equitable future.”
(End of Release)
Warm regards,
Tia M. Jackson
Communications Specialist
Shelby County Mayor’s Office
160 N. Main Street, Suite 1100
Memphis, Tennessee 38103
O: (901) 222-2011
C: (901) 484-1161
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