Memorial Day Weekend

Coffee and Conversation | Memorial Day: American Made and Re-Made

Saturday, May 23 | 2:45 p.m. ET
Free Admission

Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day, a somber day to memorialize America’s Civil War dead, which resulted in both reconciliation and division. For many Americans, this holiday now signifies the “unofficial start of summer,” losing the holiday’s solemn origins. Join Dr. Robert J. Kodosky for coffee and a conversation about the power of the past, the costs of liberty and the enduring struggle for civil liberties.

Robert J. Kodosky chairs the department of history at West Chester University where he teaches courses in American military and diplomatic history and serves as the faculty adviser for the Student Veteran Group. He is also the author of Psychological Operations American Style: The Joint United States Public Affairs Office, Vietnam and Beyond, Tuskegee in Philadelphia: Rising to the Challenge, and co-author of Construction Ahead: Making American History Since 1865.

The Origins of Memorial Day

10:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m.; Civil War and Reconstruction: The Battle for Freedom and Equality
Join us to learn about the history of Memorial Day with a special highlight of artifacts from the Civil War. Explore how the American Civil War forever changed the traditions honoring and mourning those who gave their lives in military service to the nation.

The Six Signers Tour

11 a.m. and 2 p.m.; Signers’ Hall
In the summer of 1787, six men returned to Philadelphia, back to the room where they declared independence from Great Britain in the summer of 1776. Meet the signers of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution in this 15-minute tour. Learn about these men who helped draft two of our most cherished documents and their contributions towards independence and the creation of a representative democracy for all.

Fourth Annual Reminder Day Pamphlet

11:45 a.m. and 2:45 p.m., The First Amendment
On July 4, 1965, 40 members of the LGBTQ+ community—33 men and 7 women—used their right to assemble to call for freedom and equality by marching outside Independence Hall. These efforts became known as the Annual Reminder Day demonstrations, a tradition which took place over the next four summers on Independence Day.

Reeling in a New Government

Noon and 3:45 p.m., America’s Founding
In July of 1787, the Constitutional Convention took a recess to draft the official language of the new Constitution. Discover how the framers spent their summer break and see the tackle box that George Washington took on his fishing trip. Also, learn about the first draft of the United States Constitution and the delegates on the Committee of Detail who prepared it.

Giant Flag Folding

12:45 p.m., National Constitution Center Front Lawn
In the summer of 1777, the Continental Congress passed the Flag Act, declaring that “the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.” As our flag turns 249, join us on the Front Lawn for a flag folding demonstration featuring our giant American flag.

Memorial Day Activity Station

10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Kenneth C. Griffin Great Hall
How did poppies become the symbol of Memorial Day? Stop by our poppy pin station to uncover the connection between the poppy and the armed forces. Create your own poppy pin to honor those who have served and died for our country. Also, decorate Thank-a-Vet bags, which will be donated to the Veterans Multi-Service Center, to send thanks to veterans in our community for their service.

Revolutionary Philadelphia Artifact Cart

10 a.m.–3 p.m., Kenneth C. Griffin Great Hall
As land was cleared to build the National Constitution Center, a massive archaeological excavation occurred, unearthing thousands of artifacts from the 1700s. Come pick up some of these 3D printed replicas and learn about the everyday lives of “We the People” as the new nation developed just blocks away.