Ken Burns, the documentary filmmaker known for his PBS series on baseball, the Civil War, the Holocaust and pretty much everything else, will be the keynote speaker for the 63rd annual Independence Day Celebration and Naturalization Ceremony at Monticello.
More than 50 individuals from countries around the world will take the oath of citizenship at Monticello on Independence Day, according to the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, the private, nonprofit organization that owns and operates Monticello.
At least we hope those more than 50 folks will get naturalized. Independence Day is still a few weeks away, and the way Trump 2.0 is going, I don’t know that White people with family lineages here dating back to the 1700s who aren’t full-fledged MAGA are safe in terms of their citizenship status.
I love this line from the press release sent to us by the folks at Monticello:
Since 1963, more than 3,950 people from countries around the world have sworn their oath of citizenship at Monticello. From Afghanistan to Zambia, these individuals have come to the United States for economic opportunity, family ties, love, refuge from crisis, and more. Their stories, shared with the audience, are powerful reminders of what it means to be an American.
That feels like a different America than the one we live in now.
Let’s hope that Burns, whose latest PBS series, “The American Revolution,” is set to premiere on Nov. 16, addresses the elephant in the room when he addresses the new citizens and their families.
“It is a profound honor to speak at Monticello on Independence Day,” Burns said. “Celebrating the enduring promise of the Declaration of Independence reminds us that history is not behind us, but within us — shaping who we are and who we strive to become.”
The free public ceremony begins at 9 a.m. Parking and shuttle bus transportation will be provided from Piedmont Virginia Community College to Monticello.
For those that cannot attend in person, the ceremony will be livestreamed on Monticello’s website, YouTube, and Facebook.
“Ken Burns’s lifelong dedication to illuminating the American experience makes him the perfect voice to inspire us as we honor the hard work of citizenship, liberty, and constitutional democracy on July 4,” said Dr. Jane Kamensky, president of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation.
“We are delighted to have one of the nation’s most powerful storytellers as our keynote speaker, and to invite the community to join us on the mountaintop. There’s no better place to celebrate Independence Day than at Monticello,” Kamensky said.
Monticello will host, in partnership with VPM, two special sneak peeks of “The American Revolution” at PVCC on July 3. Guests will screen several scenes from the documentary followed by a panel discussion with Burns, Sarah Botstein, Harvard professor Vincent Brown, Dr. Jane Kamensky and Jamelle Bouie from The New York Times as moderator.
Due to popular demand, Monticello has added a second offering at 3 p.m. The 7 p.m. program remains sold out.
Tickets are $10, and can be purchased at Monticello.org/July3.
Space is limited, and interested parties are encouraged to reserve their spots soon.
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Chris Graham
