Independence Day Celebration 2024

HISTORY MUSEUM WELCOMES NEW U.S. CITIZENS ON INDEPENDENCE DAY

Naturalization Ceremony is an annual Fourth of July tradition

at the Charlotte Museum of History

The Charlotte Museum of History will once again celebrate Independence Day with a Naturalization Ceremony for new U.S. citizens on the Fourth of July. The ceremony takes place on Thursday, July 4, at 11 a.m. and is free and open to the public.

“On Independence Day, we celebrate American ideals of freedom and liberty, which are themes we talk about every day with visitors at the museum,” said Terri L. White, president & CEO of the Charlotte Museum of History. “Visitors who have attended this ceremony in the past tell us how inspiring it is to watch people take the oath of citizenship and become part of our democracy.”

The event will include music, a brief keynote address and opportunities to register to vote. The ceremony will conclude with a ringing of the museum’s American Freedom Bell, modeled on the Liberty Bell and one of the largest ground-level bells in the world. The museum will offer an Independence Day-themed craft for kids.

The Charlotte Museum of History is home to the 1774 Alexander Rock House. The original owner, Hezekiah Alexander, was one of the Charlotte leaders who published the Mecklenburg Resolves in 1775, taking early steps to break away from England. That bold action was part of the movement that helped propel Mecklenburg County, and eventually the 13 American colonies, towards independence. In April 1776, North Carolina officially authorized its delegates to vote for independence, and on July 4, 1776, a new nation was born.

How to Go:

Museum doors open at 10 a.m. on Thursday, July 4, and the Naturalization ceremony begins at 11 a.m. The museum will close following the ceremony. Registration is encouraged, as seating for the ceremony is limited. Click here for more information and to register!