Join us at 11 am on Saturday July 4 for a celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on our Town Common.

Join our celebration of democracy by attending the 4th of July Declaration of Independence Recitation Event on the North Andover Common. In addition to the Declaration of Independence reading by Sen Barry Finegold, this year’s highlights will include Actor Odis Spencer performing excerpts from the Frederick Douglass speech What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?, North Andover Town Moderator Mark DiSalvo will tell the story of The Andover Resolve and Lawrence community organizer Zoila Gomez reading Ronald Reagan's tribute to immigration at the 1986 Rededication of the Statue of Liberty.

The Gettysburg Address will be read by Major Richard McGreehan, Retired, US Air Force and excerpts from President Lyndon Johnson’s 1965 Speech to Congress entitled Voting Rights and the American Promise will be read by Pastor Lyndon Myers, Andover Baptist Church.

Joanna Kerr, Director of the North Andover Historical Society will narrate this celebration of America on the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Rockwood Taylor will perform America the Beautiful and other music to round out this free family-friendly event on Saturday, July 4th at the North Andover Common starting at 11:00am. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and your flag or patriotic sign.

Get more information at https://www.1836meetinghouse.org/

If there is rain, the event will be held in the Meeting House

at North Parish Church on the Common.

This annual event (now in its 7th year) is sponsored by the Friends of the 1836 Meeting House, the North Andover Historical Society and the North Andover Festival Committee. Actor Odis Spencer’s participation is funded by the Adeline Wright Social Justice Fund!

Our Event Program includes:

• Opening Remarks & Program Narration – Joanna Kerr, Director, North Andover Historical Society

• North Andover Land Acknowledgement – read by Alex Bace, Governor's Academy student.

• America the Beautiful - performed by Rockwood Taylor

• The Andover Resolve (June 12, 1776) – story researched and told by Mark DiSalvo, North Andover Town Moderator.

• The Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776) – read by Senator Finegold (confirmed), Rep Tran Nguyen (TBD) and Adrienne Pusateri Ramos (TBD)

• Excerpts from What to the Slave is the Fourth of July? (7/5/1852)by Frederick Douglass – performed by Odis Spencer

• Gettysburg Address (November 19, 1863) – read by Major Richard McGreehan, Retired, US Air Force.

• A Change is Gonna Come – performed by Rockwood Taylor

• Excerpts from President Lyndon Johnson’s Speech to Congress entitled Voting Rights and the American Promise (March 15, 1965) read by Pastor Lyndon Myers, Andover Baptist Church.

• Reagan’s Dedication of the Statue of Liberty (July 3, 1986) -read by Zoila Gomez, Immigration Attorney and Community Leader

• I Hear Them All/This Land is .. Medley – performed by Rockwood Taylor 

Take a look at excerpts from last years 4th of July D of I event.