Community Conversations - Liberty Amendments Part 2
Vienna General Assembly Unified in Officially Recognizing Liberty Amendments Month; Now is the Time to Celebrate and Reflect Together
Authored by Mercury Payton, Town Manager, Town of Vienna
A few months ago, the Virginia General Assembly took an extraordinary step to officially recognize a request from the Town of Vienna to establish Liberty Amendments Month beginning on June 19. Even more extraordinary in these polarized times, the vote to establish this month-long event as a state-wide commemoration was unanimous in both houses.
The purpose of Liberty Amendments Month is to celebrate the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 19th amendments to the U.S. Constitution. These amendments embody the freedoms and rights of all citizens regardless of their race or sex. The 13th amendment prohibited slavery in our nation. The 14th amendment grants citizenship to all those born or naturalized in the United Sates. The 15th amendment provides the right to vote to all citizens regardless of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. And the 19th amendment extends the right to vote to women.
Last year, I began to develop the idea of celebrating these four Constitutional amendments after witnessing the discourse and strife of last summer. Through this celebration of our collective freedoms, we can take a step towards bringing our nation together and find common ground. We all can celebrate these amendments that work to ensure rights and liberties for all people.
The Town of Vienna has also made Liberty Amendments Day an official Town holiday. This new holiday will be observed for the first time on July 19, 2021. As Vienna celebrates these amendments, we hope to inspire other jurisdictions, the state, and the nation to do the same.
In Vienna, Liberty Amendments Month will kick off June 19—celebrating and recognizing Juneteenth. Juneteenth is a holiday that observes the end of slavery in the United States. Throughout the month, community organizations will host a variety of events that offer thoughtful reflection on our experiences, our freedoms, and dive deeper into our understanding of these four amendments (13th, 14th, 15th, and 19th) and their impact on our past and future. Events will include lectures, performances, classes, art exhibits, films, and more. The Liberty Amendments Month celebration will conclude with a multicultural festival on July 17.
All people have been created with unique gifts, talents, abilities, and most importantly immeasurable value and worth as individuals. This month-long celebration will be a time to remember landmark moments in our country’s history that aimed to ensure equality and protect our civil liberties. It is my hope that throughout Liberty Amendments Month, we can continue to recognize what unifies us as Americans.
To learn more about Liberty Amendments Month, contact Mercury Payton, Town Manager of Vienna at manager@viennava.gov or Lily Widman, Special Event Coordinator at lily.widman@viennava.gov. To get involved or learn more details about the month-long celebration, visit viennava.gov/liberty.
Have a topic for a future Community Conversations article to suggest? Please contact Cindy Mester at cmester@fallschurchva.gov.