The Tennessee Secretary of State’s Office announced that the Tennessee State Library & Archives will host free events on two days during the first week of June where families can celebrate the state’s 227th birthday.
Save the Date! The #TNLibraryArchives is celebrating Tennessee’s 227th birthday with FREE #TNStatehoodDay events on June 1 & June 3. Guests will see TN’s priceless original constitutions and rarely-seen state historical documents. Learn more at https://t.co/0sBt7JAucN. pic.twitter.com/XeuKeM4VQn
— Tre Hargett (@tnsecofstate) May 10, 2023
On Statehood Day, June 1, “The Tennessee in Me,” an official state song of Tennessee, will be performed by Debbie Mathis Watts starting at 8 a.m. Then, with assistance from the Tennessee Highway Patrol Honor Guard, the Library & Archives will transfer Tennessee’s three priceless original constitutions from 1796, 1834, and 1870, typically protected in a vault, to the Library & Archives’ lobby, where the documents will remain on display until 4:30 p.m. that day.
In observance of Statehood Day, the Library & Archives will also feature rarely seen historical documents, including the Cumberland Compact, Governor John Sevier’s address to the first Tennessee General Assembly, the Cherokee Nation 1827 Constitution, and the founding documents of the State of Franklin in its lobby.
Guests who visit the Library & Archives on Statehood Day can also pick up free historical craft kits and receive a Passport to Tennessee History in addition to viewing Tennessee’s original founding documents. The free Passport to Tennessee History features information about the Library & Archives, Tennessee State Museum, Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, and the Tennessee State Capitol and space to collect a distinct stamp from each location.
Families can further celebrate Tennessee’s 227-year history on Saturday, June 3, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Library & Archives, where there will be a children’s scavenger hunt, games, crafts, and historical interpreters.
The Library & Archives is also partnering with Bicentennial Mall State Park and the Tennessee State Museum for various events to celebrate Statehood Day, including a free, park ranger-guided tour of Bicentennial Mall State Park.
“There will be so much for visitors to explore on Statehood Day and at our family-friendly celebration on June 3. I hope Tennesseans join us for either or both days of celebration,” Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett said in a statement.
The Tennessee State Museum also celebrates Statehood Day on June 1 with storytime events, statehood artifacts on display, family crafts, and a Statehood Anniversary Commemoration at noon.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Photo “Tennessee State Library & Archives” by Tennessee State Library & Archives.
