Proud But Uneasy: Black Americans See Nation’s 250th Through Lens of History

As the United States prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, many Black Americans are approaching the milestone with a mixture of pride, skepticism, and concern about the nation’s future.

While commemorations planned across the country will honor the nation’s founding, civil rights leaders, historians, and advocates have argued that any observance of America’s 250th birthday must also confront the country’s history of slavery, disenfranchisement, and racial inequality.

“As the nation marks 250 years, democracy, civil rights, and the rule of law are faced with existential tests,” National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial said in announcing America 250: A Guide for Defending Democracy, a civic engagement initiative developed by the National Urban League and the Demand Diversity Roundtable.

Morial said the project is intended to help Americans evaluate elected officials and candidates through the lens of constitutional principles rather than political affiliation.

“Americans need clear, consistent guidelines that help them evaluate public officials and candidates based on constitutional principles — not political affiliation,” Morial said. “This project is rooted in a simple belief: when people understand how systems work, they are more confident in using their voices.”

The Rev. Al Sharpton said Black Americans have a unique perspective on the nation’s anniversary because their history predates the country’s founding.

“The National Action Network is proud to stand with Marc Morial and the National Urban League for the launch of America 250: A Guide for Defending Democracy,” Sharpton said. “As this nation prepares to mark its 250th anniversary, we must never forget that the history of Africans in America stretches back much further, to 1619.”

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