Our work continues with a renewed vigor
Summer is approaching, and our work continues with a renewed vigor. The Spirit of America Leadership program brought future leaders from high schools across the country to our Valley Forge campus and Union League and Abele scholarships were awarded to students pursuing post-secondary education.
We’re preparing for our summer teacher seminars and traveling workshops, and our Speaker Series and historic preservation and stewardship efforts continue without pause.
Read on to learn more about our exciting programs and a special volunteer opportunity.
Plus, Founding Forward President John Meko reflects on how Founding Forward is building upon its historic legacy.
The Spirit of America Youth Leadership Program continues to inspire
400 high school students have attended Founding Forward’s Spirit of America Youth Leadership programs this year, and we are grateful to our partners and volunteer chapters for helping us recruit and support future leaders!
The four-day residential program brings exceptional high school students from across the country to our Valley Forge campus for a transformative experience. Workshops, debates, challenges, and historic site visits immerse them in a hands-on exploration of our country’s founding principles while helping them develop leadership skills that will last a lifetime.
This trip has been a transformative experience. I am now motivated to take action to make positive change in my community and become an honorable and patriotic citizen of my nation. I will never forget what I learned here.
– Trevor, Spirit of America Participant
We look forward to hosting more Spirit of America students throughout this year. To find out how students can attend, please visit our Spirit of America Youth Leadership page.
Speaker Series will take you from Roman Republicanism to Frederick Douglass and More
We are thrilled to offer several thought-provoking summer Speaker Series presentations:
Principles of Roman Republicanism and the American Founding with Joseph R. Fornieri
Tuesday, June 18, 6:00pm at Liberty Hill
Political historian and Rochester Institute of Technology professor of Political Science Joseph R. Fornieri is the author of Abraham Lincoln, Philosopher Statesman and an expert on President Lincoln’s political ideology.
An Evening with Frederick Douglass with Nathan Richardson
Tuesday, June 25, 6:00pm at Liberty Hill
Performance poet, published author, and Frederick Douglass expert Nathan Richardson is in his 10th year portraying the former slave, abolitionist, writer, and statesman in The Frederick Douglass Speaking Tour.
Lincoln and the Uncivil War over Immigration
Civil War Roundtable at Liberty Hill
Monday, July 8, 6:00pm reception; 6:30pm program
Professor and Lincoln-Prize-winning scholar Harold Holzer will lead our conversation on President Abraham Lincoln’s role as an advocate for major immigration reform, tracing his evolution from courting Nativists to advocate for European immigration.
Washington & Hamilton: The Indispensable Relationship
Library Hour at Liberty Hill
Monday, July 15, 6:00pm reception, 6:30pm program
Authors Stephen Knott and Tony Williams will discuss their book, Washington & Hamilton: The Alliance the Forged America, exploring the importance of their relationship to the founding of America and the creation of our free American institutions. The book will be for sale during the pre-program reception.
The History of Eastern State Penitentiary
Library Hour at Torresdale
Tuesday, July 23, 6:00pm reception, 6:30pm program
Library Hour at UL National Golf Club
Monday, August 12, 6:00pm reception, 6:30pm progra
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site President and CEO Kerry Sautner will discuss the fascinating history of this Philadelphia landmark, from its opening in 1829 as a place of a “confinement in solitude with labor” through escapes and riots to haunted historic site.
Zero to Hero with Medal of Honor Recipient Allen Lynch
Library Hour at Liberty Hill
Monday, July 29, 6:00pm reception, 6:30pm program
Vietnam veteran Allen Lynch will recount his journey from bullied, aimless kid to Medal of Honor recipient, a choice which, by his own admission, went from “Zero to Hero.” Sgt. Lynch will share his Vietnam experience and stories from life after the war, including overcoming PTSD. His memoir, Zero to Hero, will be for sale during the pre-program reception.
Speaker Series programs will be available live on our YouTube channel and after the program via our YouTube channel and social media platforms.
Continuing our commitment to historic preservation
Founding Forward is committed to the ongoing care and preservation of the historic properties and collections in its stewardship throughout the Union League properties and at our Valley Forge campus.
The “A Firm Foundation” bronze equestrian statue of George Washington, unveiled in 2005, greets visitors as they enter our Valley Forge campus and was created by Stan Watts and Kim Corpy.
Conservator Doug Martenson restored the statue’s patina. Check out our before and after photos below!
We look forward to continuing our commitment to the preservation of the historic collections within Founding Forward’s care.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: Help us beautify our Medal of Honor Grove!
Our Valley Forge campus includes a 42-acre living Medal of Honor Grove, which honors all 3,500+ Medal of Honor recipients. In partnership with Founding Forward, The Friends of the Medal of Honor Grove, a separate non-profit that maintains and cares for the grove, invites volunteers of all ages and abilities to join them for PA Day, July 20, from 8am to 12pm. The outdoor work project will include projects to beautify our Medal of Honor Grove. Supplies and a complimentary t-shirt will be provided to all volunteers. To volunteer, please register through America 250 (find us under Chester County’s July 20 event).
From a legacy born in crisis, Founding Forward will become the Nation’s premier civic education institution
The Union League and Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge were both formed in times when America’s founding principles were at risk: the Civil War in the 19th century and the threat of totalitarianism in the 20th century.
In his thought leadership article, Born in Crisis, John explains how Founding Forward is leveraging the assets and strengths of the Union League Legacy Foundation and Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge “to become the leading voice and nation’s premier civic education institution, promoting civic responsibility and the principles of freedom and liberty preserved in the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights.”
Read more to learn how Founding Forward is continuing and expanding the work of both organizations, including programs, collections, buildings, and volunteer chapters.
If you haven’t yet made a gift this fiscal year, we invite you to become one of Founding Forward’s 500 and build upon the legacy established by Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge.
By making a tax-deductible contribution by June 30, you will help Founding Forward create an informed and engaged citizenry through education about the principles, rights, and responsibilities enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and Constitution of the United States, empowering individuals to participate in and uphold our system of self-government.
Become one of Founding Forward’s 500 by making a gift today!