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Independence Day – Cultural Heritage Exhibition 2023

Wednesday, June 28, 2023 10:00 AM - Saturday, July 15, 2023 5:00 PM
The Grace Museum
102 Cypress Street Abilene, TX 79601
Hardin-Simmons University Six White Horses, Photograph Courtesy of the Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau

Independence Day in the United States is celebrated every July 4th to commemorate the Declaration of Independence in 1776 with fireworks, parades, and parties.

Throughout Abilene’s history, Independence Day has meant a day off work and celebrating the holiday with friends, family, and the entire city. Families gathered to watch parades, and sometimes even participate, with young boys following the veterans as they marched. Churches hosted breakfasts, those with larger homes held open houses, and the Midsummer Fair drew visitors from all over the county. Abilenians participated in an annual golf tournament, hosted swimming parties, and celebrated with food and friends.

[Carriage at Abilene Parade], photograph, circa 1950s; University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting McMurry University Library
The Abilene Daily Reporter (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 22, No. 181, Ed. 1 Wednesday, July 9, 1919; University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Public Library History

The Grace Museum is collaborating with Abilene Christian University’s Introduction to Public History: Interpreting American Pasts course to create monthly exhibitions that coincide with different cultural heritage months throughout the year. These exhibitions highlight the narratives of various cultural groups that are integral to Abilene’s history while weaving these stores into the broader historical fabric of the United States.

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