Introducing the Civic Season: A Festivus for the Rest of Us
This summer, we’re reimagining our traditions — and invite you to join in.
We’re emerging from a year unlike any other in our lifetimes. For many of us, especially those newly stepping into an active role in our democracy, the last year raised awareness of the gap between the United States’ promises and practices.
The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare existing inequalities, disrupted education and careers, and strained our nation’s infrastructure — from information to healthcare to public trust. The intensity of the 2020 presidential election stoked the fires of political division even as it drove unprecedented youth voter turnout. And the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, among so many others, spurred passionate protests for racial justice. Last summer, Black history — and Juneteenth in particular — took on greater resonance for many, while the Fourth of July became more complicated to celebrate in a divided nation facing layered crises. Amid all this, we asked thousands of people to share their vision for America’s future; fear and tension were palpable, among glimmers of hope.
Nearly a year later, as we approach Juneteenth and the Fourth of July once again — along with our first post-pandemic summer — we have an opportunity to write the next chapter of our country’s story. I spent my time in graduate school studying commemorative practice, and I recognize our current moment as one that has as much to do with facts and policies as it does with the American story and how we tell it. How we remember and celebrate shapes what we remember and celebrate. Holidays and rituals like Juneteenth and the Fourth of July are like living monuments — the space where past meets present.
So with all this momentum brewing, how might we build on 2020’s groundswell of interest in America’s future? How can we navigate celebrating what we’ve overcome, while acknowledging the loss, the pain, and the sacrifice? And what role can each of us play in shaping what comes next?
A recent Pew Research poll found that 60% of Americans think the U.S. will be better off in the future if we are open to changes regarding our traditions. But our celebrations are always evolving; the events of 2020 had us banging pots and pans from our porches to honor first responders and hosting car parades for birthdays and graduations.
In fact, changing our traditions is practically…tradition. During the Civil War, the Committee Upon a National Hymn was created to try to replace the Star-Spangled Banner (too hard to sing and out of touch, they said). In 1926, Carter G. Woodson proposed a week of Black History recognition that evolved into Black History Month by 1970 — the same year the first Pride parade was held. And the American flag we wave today is in its 27th iteration.
It’s with this historical context that Made By Us, a coalition of 100+ historic sites and museums dedicated to supporting youth civic engagement teamed up with the Gen Z social enterprise engine Civics Unplugged to develop a new annual tradition that makes space for all stories and civic passions: the Civic Season, held from Juneteenth through July 4th.
In considering how we might propel July 4th into a nationwide moment to strengthen our country, it became clear that we could embrace the expansiveness of the American story — leaning into the “both/and” — to include more stories and more voices.
The proximity of Juneteenth and July 4th highlights the gap between our nation’s promises and practices, serving as a powerful call to action to forge a better tomorrow. July 4th, 1776 put powerful ideals on paper; June 19th, 1865 reminds us that these ideals have been unevenly shared and fought for. Indeed, people in America have reclaimed and redefined freedom, independence and sovereignty for well over 250 years, and our commemorations and celebrations ought to better reflect our richness and complexity.
New traditions aren’t created overnight, and they aren’t up to a few people to determine. It’s important that if we’re going to write a new story, that it is “made by us.” For this to work, we need you to take part, to bring your unique ideas, questions and perspectives to the table.
And you won’t be alone. In fact, there are a lot of us working together.
For one thing, Made By Us is collectively led by a formidable group of 10 history museums that steer us forward. I think of Leslie Greene Bowman, president and CEO of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, working to expand our knowledge of Jefferson as both an architect of liberty and an enslaver. I think about the Atlanta History Center, led by Sheffield Hale, and its declaration that “history is messy.” I think of James Pepper Henry opening the First Americans Museum in Oklahoma this fall, to tell a multifaceted peoples’ story in the place where they are. I think about the powerful public reading of the Declaration of Independence held on the steps of the National Archives each July 4th, or the New-York Historical Society which makes a point to recognize July 5th, the day slavery was abolished in New York. Or the vast stories encompassed by HistoryMiami Museum, the Senator John Heinz History Center, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, the Missouri Historical Society, and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, rounding out the Made By Us steering committee.
And there are hundreds more joining us from all across the country and the globe, from the dozens of Civics Unplugged Gen Z fellows who helped identify themes and questions, to groups like the National Institute for Civil Discourse and Students Learn Students Vote, to your local historical society. Together, we’ve generated 450+ activities for you to take part in, based on your interests, location, and time available.
If we spend our summers getting to know our story, our skills and our vision, it makes it that much easier to be year-round civic participants, especially when it comes to Election season. Being a voter starts well before Election Day, when you cast your ballot; it begins with understanding who you are, what you value, and how you fit into the larger picture of American democracy. Civic Season can help by navigating you to programs and experiences that provide background information, tools to unpack your views, and ways to skill-up and connect with others.
In our digital age, we have access to more perspectives, more information and more connection than ever before. We no longer have to settle for telling a narrow story. Like Seinfeld’s “Festivus for the Rest of Us,” we see another way forward. We deserve a tradition like the Civic Season that reflects our complexity, that holds space for future evolution.
Together, we can widen the lens. Are you ready to join in?
The Civic Season is made possible thanks to the generous support of Marcia Carlucci, Jacqueline B. Mars and AMERICAN HERITAGE® Chocolate.
To power a better tomorrow, it’s never been more important to harness lessons from the past. Made By Us is a beacon, a collective effort and guiding force that provides historical context and perspective to inspire action. We use our Medium presence as a forum for exposing more of our process, our perspectives, and the people doing the day-to-day work behind our projects.
