Speaker 1 (00:00):
... the delegates' handwritten notes made during the Constitutional Convention. And the voting record of the Constitutional Convention, approving the final text of what would become the United States Constitution. All originals, no facsimiles, no copies. All incredible, all instructional and all irreplaceable. And here today in this room, you can see a few of those very documents that will go aboard the Freedom Plane, including the Treaty of Paris, the three Oaths of Allegiance, and the Draft US Constitution. So, I invite everyone to take a look when we conclude.
(00:36)
Many of these documents are leaving this building for the first time and they're traveling together for the first time in history. Today's effort is inspired by the Bicentennial Freedom Train, a mobile museum that crisscrossed the country in 1976. Those who experienced or remember the Freedom Train speak fondly of it, and we aim to create similar memories and in fact now 50 years later. Rather than go by train, these documents will leave Washington DC and travel all eight cities aboard the Freedom Plane. A beautiful Boeing 737, provided very generously by the Boeing Company.
(01:14)
And this glimmering Boeing 737, in its sure to be iconic celebration livery, which we'll see in just a moment, will bring the documents to the following cities and museums. Kansas City, Missouri, the National World War I Museum and Memorial. Atlanta, Georgia to the Atlanta History Center. Los Angeles, California, the University of Southern California Fisher Museum of Art. Houston, Texas to the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Denver, Colorado to the Colorado History Center. Miami, Florida, to the History Miami Museum. Dearborn, Michigan to the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. And Seattle, Washington to the Museum of History & Industry. At each stop on the tour, the documents will be installed in a National Archives traveling exhibition called The Documents that Forged A Nation. The first display will open on Friday, March 6th in Kansas City, and the entire tour schedule is now available at archives.gov.
(02:19)
These cities represent widely different geographic regions across our country, and were chosen for a few key reasons. The purpose of this tour is to allow those Americans who may not be planning to visit our nation's capital to see, experience, and learn from American history. Government is not exclusively an Eastern entity. And American history is a story of all of us. From Los Angeles to Lexington, from Coeur d'Alene to Corpus Christi, from sea to shining sea. Each city that was selected is a major metropolitan area that possesses media resources to share this traveling exhibition with surrounding cities and towns. We try to select areas in which folks can drive a few hours at most to see the exhibition. The goal is to achieve the greatest, widest visibility and reach during the 250th celebration.
(03:13)
In addition to each museum at each stop meets all national archives' requirements for displaying such treasures of historic importance from climate controls to ample display spaces, to security protocols. Believe me, I would like to take this tour to all 50 states, but keeping these documents conserved for another 250 years is at the front of everyone's mind.
(03:37)
President Trump has spoken often about his pride as the president will lead our nation's 250th celebration. During his transition period, not yet even into office, he made this celebration a national priority. This tour was conceived not long after I was appointed by President Trump to manage the National Archives day-to-day. It has been nearly a year in the making and has involved hundreds of hours of planning among conservators, registrars, security professionals, advanced teams, logistics experts, lawyers, insurance experts, pilots, educators, writers, designers, fabricators, teams from all different states, municipalities and venues working together.
(04:16)
Every movement of these documents is tightly scheduled, diligently monitored, well-prepared for and secured. Once the documents disembark from the Freedom Plane, they will be transported into climate-controlled vehicles, secured by professional handlers with the National Archives. They'll arrive at each museum under police escort, and National Archives personnel will work closely with experienced, credentialed staff at each museum to prepare the documents for display. And once they're on view to millions of our fellow Americans, they will be protected at all times.
(04:52)
Allow me now to thank the National Archives partners who are here with us for your support, especially the National Archives Foundation and its generous donors, the most noteworthy of which you'll be hearing from soon. There is no more noteworthy an occasion than America's 250th birthday to share this history. Hopefully, by allowing folks across the country to get up close to and experience this history, will inspire our fellow Americans to champion our nation's founding ideals into the future.
(05:25)
With that, allow me to introduce Rodney Slater, chairman and president of the National Archives Foundation who served with distinction as secretary of transportation under President Clinton, Mr. Secretary.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Thank you, Jim. Good morning. And on behalf of the Board of Directors of the National Archives Foundation, welcome to the National Archives. We have some members of the board here, and I'd like to just mention them. We have Governor Jim Blanchard, the immediate past chair of the foundation board, Larry O'Brien, an immediate past chair as well. We have Selina Jackson, the newest member with P&G, and also Lucinda Robb. I think Lucinda made it up. Right here. Okay, very good.
(06:29)
The foundation is the nonprofit programmatic and philanthropic partner of the National Archives, helping to bring billions of holdings that represent the fabric of our shared American story to life through exhibits and special events, civic engagement, and more. As we move into this banner year, the 250th anniversary of our nation's founding, it is more critical than ever to give Americans a chance to get up close and personal with our nation's history, especially as pertains to this pivotal founding era that we're focused on.
(07:19)
Those of us based in Washington DC can be a bit spoiled. We can come to this marvelous building and sit among the charters of freedom as we please, but not every American gets that incredible privilege and that's why we've gathered here today. The 250th anniversary is an inflection point for all Americans of any age or background to deepen our understanding and appreciation for our history. We, at the foundation, saw this inflection point, this opportunity as an occasion to ensure that this experience was not just limited to those who live in and around Washington DC, but would be of the enjoyed privilege of those across this great land, as has been said from sea to shining sea.
(08:34)
What started as a simple idea, making the founding more accessible, has blossomed into this ambitious endeavor, the Freedom Plane National Tour: Documents that Forged A Nation. As Jim mentioned, this initiative was inspired by the bicentennial Freedom Train, and it will give countless Americans from coast-to-coast a rare chance to view National Archives' records that declared freedom, that won the war and that forged a constitutional democracy.
(09:22)
In collaboration with a lineup of amazing partner institutions, this effort reflects our shared belief that these documents do not belong to any one city or any one institution. They belong to the American people. I've stepped into this wonderful rotunda here at the archives on countless occasions, and I've seen the awe that these founding documents elicit, even among the youngest of our visitors, how amazing it would be then if we could replicate this experience for the next generation, for those across the nation. That's why the foundation is committed to making this activation an educational experience, as much as a sentimental one. We will do this by providing each institution with civic activities and resources to ensure younger visitors can more diligently reflect on their past and become actively engaged as citizens and responsible stewards of the very principles enshrined in these magnificent documents, these historic documents, our charters of freedom.
(10:56)
Of course, we couldn't accomplish any of this alone. We would first like to extend our immense thanks to the Boeing Company, which as Jim noted, will provide the 737 aircraft that will safely carry these extraordinary documents to their eight destinations. We would also like to thank Comcast Corporation, Microsoft and P&G for their generous support in turning this, our Freedom Plane dream into a reality. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity will expand access to these documents in unprecedented ways, bringing the story of our nation directly to Americans across our beloved country.
(11:54)
The tour invites reflection and dialogue and a renewed civic spirit, reminding us that the ideals enshrined in these records are not relics of the past, but living promises that depend on each generation preserving them, protecting them and projecting them forward.
(12:22)
Now, I'd like to introduce Jeff Shockey. Jeff is the executive vice president of Governmental Operations and Global Public Policy Corporate Strategy for the Boeing Company.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
All right. Well, thank you, Secretary Slater. What an awesome day it is to be with everybody here this morning. I want to start by expressing gratitude to the archives and the foundation for their important work to preserve, protect and share Americans' history.
(13:03)
Boeing's partnership with the foundation dates back more than 20 years, and we are excited to continue our partnership through the Freedom Plane National Tour. Just as flight connects people and places, the Freedom Plane National Tour will connect Americans to the ideas and sacrifices that forged our country. These historic and consequential documents, which are fundamental to America's founding, will travel the US in a commemorative Boeing 737 freedom plane that you will see here shortly. We chose the 737 because of the important role it has played in aviation history. It's the plane to help make travel more affordable and accessible, and it's carried more than 30 billion passengers over the last 60 years.
(13:53)
And now, as we celebrate America's 250th anniversary, this iconic plane will make some of the most important documents in American history more accessible to communities throughout the United States, all the way from the Eastern Seaboard, through the Heartland, and the Rocky Mountains, to the Pacific Coast. We know that when people can see history, it builds a deeper appreciation for the freedoms we celebrate. Thank you to the Archives Foundation, the National Archives, and everyone who made the Freedom Plane National Tour possible, including President Trump and Secretary Rubio, and leaders throughout this administration.
(14:35)
Boeing is proud to be part of this special celebration of America's 250th anniversary, or as Jim said, semi-quincentennial. Bicentennial is easier. We all have to do a little practice. So, with that, I'm going to turn it back to Jim.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
Thank you, Jeff, and everyone at the Boeing Company for your support of this initiative, and our thanks to the other National Archives Foundation benefactors. I truly believe that this is going to be the farthest-reaching and highest-impact event of the entire 250th celebration. So, we're going to show you now the Freedom Plane, and I'd like to invite you all to continue to stay in touch with the National Archives as we ready for the plane's christening and first departure out of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on March the 2nd.
Crew (15:27):
Bring that camera down.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
Thank you all.
Crew (15:43):
Hold it up. Hold it up. There we go. Keep holding it. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you. Keep holding it. Keep holding. Television thanks you.
Speaker X (15:54):
[inaudible 00:15:59].
Speaker 4 (16:03):
Is that model going into the archives?
Speaker X (16:03):
[inaudible 00:16:07].
Speaker 3 (16:23):
There's a little branding on the bottom. It says Boeing MAX America.
Speaker X (16:24):
That's great.
(16:28)
Thanks.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
Okay. We are adjourned.
Speaker X (16:28):
[inaudible 00:16:46].