00:00 - Good morning. Hello. Welcome,

00:03 - everyone.

00:04 - Thank you for being here.

00:06 - My name is Michael Norris.

00:07 - I'm the executive director of the Carpenters Company in Philadelphia.

00:12 - The Carpenters Company was founded in 1724

00:15 - as a trade guild for Philadelphia's master builders.

00:19 - In the early 1770s.

00:21 - We built Carpenters Hall, which you can see here to my right.

00:25 - As our meeting place.

00:26 - And we still own and operate that building today.

00:29 - Just a block from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell,

00:33 - Carpenters Hall became historically significant by serving

00:36 - as the venue for three important events in early American history.

00:41 - In the fall of 1774, we hosted the First Continental Congress,

00:45 - where delegates like George Washington and John Adams and Patrick Henry

00:49 - met to create a shared American identity and define

00:54 - a unified strategy to address the colonies grievances with Great Britain.

00:59 - That meeting led directly to the Second Continental Congress

01:02 - and the signing of the Declaration of Independence

01:05 - in December 1775.

01:07 - Benjamin Franklin met in Carpenters Hall with a secret emissary from France,

01:12 - thus laying the groundwork for the French American

01:15 - alliance that helped us win our independence.

01:18 - And in June 1776,

01:20 - delegates from the ten counties of Pennsylvania

01:23 - and the city of Philadelphia met in Carpenters Hall at a gathering

01:27 - called the Pennsylvania Provincial Conference.

01:31 - And that's what we're going to be talking about today.

01:33 - This meeting was a milestone in Pennsylvania history.

01:36 - And like the Declaration of Independence itself, is turning

01:40 - 250 years old in 2026.

01:44 - Unfortunately, the provincial conference has been mostly forgotten,

01:47 - and it's our job to remind people that it was a very important

01:51 - event in our Commonwealth's history.

01:53 - And we're announcing today a yearlong initiative to commemorate that history,

01:58 - but also to engage, Pennsylvanians

02:01 - in the contemporary relevance of what happened, back then,

02:06 - why was the conference so important?

02:08 - First and foremost, its delegates voted to break away from Great Britain.

02:13 - This was the moment when Pennsylvania stopped

02:15 - being a colony and became a state.

02:19 - It was the moment the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was born.

02:22 - Conference delegates also authorized the creation of a

02:26 - of Pennsylvania's first state constitution, which was drafted over

02:30 - the summer and adopted a few months later, in September 1776.

02:35 - The impact of that document was profound.

02:38 - And finally, conference delegates approved the mobilization

02:42 - of all of Pennsylvania's militia troops to help fight in the American Revolution,

02:46 - which had begun, just about a year earlier.

02:50 - These were all important steps in Pennsylvania history.

02:53 - And in 1982, the General Assembly officially designated.

02:57 - Carpenters Hall as the birthplace of the Commonwealth.

03:00 - Because we hosted the provincial conference.

03:04 - We are honored that this project has received a Semi Quinn.

03:07 - Centennial grant from America 250 PA.

03:10 - And here to say a few words is, the director of strategic partners,

03:14 - Kelly Layton.

03:15 - Kelly, where are you? Yes.

03:21 - Good morning everyone.

03:22 - Thank you, Michael,

03:23 - and thank you to the Carpenters Company for bringing us together

03:26 - today in Harrisburg.

03:28 - I'm Kelly Leon, director of strategic partnerships for America, 250 P.A.

03:34 - we are Pennsylvania's official commission, working across all 67 counties

03:38 - and more than 400 local communities to lead a once in a generation

03:43 - commemoration of the Semi Quinn centennial.

03:45 - It's a responsibility we carry with both excitement and humility,

03:49 - because this moment belongs to all of us.

03:52 - Our work is guided by four themes educate,

03:55 - preserve, innovate and celebrate.

03:58 - They shape how we work.

03:59 - We support communities, how we build partnerships,

04:02 - and how we welcome visitors from around the world.

04:04 - Together, they form our vision of how we want the year 2026 to be remembered.

04:09 - Epic.

04:10 - Since 2018, America 250 p.a.

04:14 - has launched more than a dozen initiatives that bring the Semi Quinn centennial

04:18 - into communities across all 67 counties.

04:21 - Each one is designed to open doors, to learning, to participation,

04:26 - and to a shared sense of pride in our heritage as Pennsylvanians.

04:29 - Today, I'm honored to highlight one of those initiatives our Semi Quinn Grants.

04:34 - These grants support organizations across Pennsylvania from the Butler County.

04:38 - Symphony Association, using music to build community

04:41 - to Clinton County's Liberty themed mosaic project.

04:44 - To the Friends of Flight 93 National Memorial, educating

04:48 - young people about the history and heroism of nine over 11.

04:52 - Together, they form a growing calendar of events that meet Pennsylvanians

04:55 - where they are and reflect local visions for how to celebrate America at 250.

05:01 - That brings us to today America. 250 P.A.

05:04 - is proud to support Carpenters Hall with a $20,000 Semi Quinn Centennial grant

05:09 - for the Pennsylvania Provincial Conference 250th Anniversary commemoration.

05:15 - We're grateful to Governor Shapiro and the general Assembly

05:18 - for making this investment possible.

05:20 - Projects like this embody our themes and respond to a deep need in this moment.

05:24 - There's a saying that it's a curse to live in interesting times.

05:27 - We see it differently.

05:28 - These are the moments when history matters.

05:30 - Most people are looking for ways to feel connected to their neighbors,

05:34 - to their country, and to a larger story that helps make sense of who we are

05:38 - and where we're headed.

05:39 - When we study the revolution today, the outcome can feel inevitable.

05:43 - The people living in it had no such certainty, only faith

05:47 - that what they were fighting for was was worthy of their sacrifices.

05:51 - Programs like this conference, along with exhibits, lectures

05:54 - and living history experiences happening across Pennsylvania this year,

05:58 - connect people to a defining chapter in American history.

06:01 - They create opportunities to learn, to engage,

06:04 - and to see how the lessons of the past can guide us toward a brighter future.

06:08 - Michael, thank you to you and the Carpenters Company

06:11 - for your partnership and for the thoughtful work

06:13 - you've done to highlight Pennsylvania's leadership at our nation's

06:16 - founding moment.

06:17 - Your program helps people see how decisions made here

06:20 - shaped the arc of American history from the very beginning.

06:24 - On behalf of Executive Director Cassandra Coleman and our entire team,

06:27 - we're grateful to everyone here for being part of this effort.

06:30 - We hope that the legacy of America 250 is a reminder

06:33 - of what's possible when Pennsylvanians come together with purpose and pride.

06:38 - And I

06:39 - also have a greetings from the governor.

06:42 - Greetings.

06:43 - It is my pleasure to recognize and welcome the Carpenters Company

06:46 - of Philadelphia for the Pennsylvania Provincial Conference.

06:49 - 250th anniversary Commemoration Press Briefing.

06:53 - As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration

06:57 - of Independence through 2026, it is important

07:00 - to recognize the significance of the year right here in our Commonwealth.

07:04 - In June 1776, at Carpenters Hall in Philadelphia,

07:08 - the Pennsylvania Provincial Conference marked the moment Pennsylvania

07:11 - went from being a British colony to an independent Commonwealth.

07:15 - This decision alter the course of history for both Pennsylvania

07:19 - and the rest of the nation.

07:20 - As we celebrate our nation's Semi Quinn centennial this year.

07:23 - I am grateful to Carpenter's Company of Philadelphia for highlighting

07:26 - this important moment

07:27 - in our Commonwealth's history as governor and on behalf of all Pennsylvanians,

07:32 - I am honored to recognize the Carpenters Company of Philadelphia as they celebrate

07:36 - the 250th anniversary of the Pennsylvania Provincial Conference.

07:40 - Please accept my best wishes for continued success.

07:42 - Governor Josh Shapiro,

07:45 - thank you.

07:49 - Thank you Kelly.

07:50 - I'd also like to acknowledge

07:52 - the Landon Berger Family Foundation for their support of this project.

07:56 - We work very closely on this initiative with two members of the General Assembly,

08:01 - who have the great, privilege of representing Carpenters Hall

08:03 - and the historic district.

08:05 - So please welcome, State Senator Nick Hill, civil and state representative

08:09 - Mary Isaacson.

08:14 - Thank you.

08:15 - Start here.

08:17 - Thank you so much.

08:18 - We have a little bit of an a funny,

08:21 - way of presenting this here.

08:23 - So again, thank you. Michael.

08:24 - We are honored to represent Carpenters Hall in Philadelphia's historic district,

08:28 - where the United States was born 250 years ago.

08:33 - And I'm proud to say that I serve in the same seat of the

08:37 - at the Pennsylvania legislature, the one Ben Franklin served in.

08:42 - That's right.

08:42 - Our former colleague, Benjamin Franklin.

08:45 - Speaker Franklin, speaker Franklin, of course,

08:47 - 2026 is going to be an exciting year for the nation as we commemorate

08:51 - the 250th anniversary of the declaration of Independence.

08:56 - I want to thank my, the commission, the America

08:59 - 250 Commission, my fellow commissioner, Jared Solomon.

09:02 - Representative Solomon is here.

09:04 - But this year also marks a milestone in Pennsylvania history

09:07 - that's just important.

09:08 - And we applaud Carpenters Hall in America and EPA for recognizing it.

09:14 - And as you will learn

09:16 - in a moment when Michael details the programs, events and activities

09:20 - commemorating the Pennsylvania Provincial Conference, it is about

09:23 - more than learning about a key moment in Pennsylvania history.

09:28 - It's also about exploring the vital importance of our state

09:32 - constitution in our democracy today, and what citizens can do to engage.

09:38 - And while Representative Isaacson and I are naturally biased towards projects

09:43 - and organizations within our districts, the best districts in the Commonwealth,

09:48 - I would also like to point out that this project has been

09:50 - specifically designed to go beyond the geographic bounds of Carpenters Hall

09:54 - and Philadelphia's historic district, and to engage with Pennsylvania residents

09:58 - across the Commonwealth in person and virtually,

10:02 - and to reinforce the project's current prevalence.

10:07 - My office was happy to provide Carpenters Hall with copies

10:10 - of our current state constitution that will be distributed

10:14 - throughout the year to everyone who participates in this program.

10:18 - There are copies here today, so please take one with you and read up

10:22 - every bit of another constitution.

10:25 - And there won't be a quiz.

10:27 - But we encourage all Pennsylvanians

10:29 - to become more familiar with this important document.

10:33 - Thank you so much for so grateful to be here with you this morning.

10:36 - The representative and I are grateful to Carpenter's Hall for organizing

10:39 - this project.

10:40 - We thank once again, America 250

10:42 - for the Landon Berger Family Foundation for supporting it.

10:46 - And we encourage Pennsylvanians across the Commonwealth

10:49 - to learn about it and participate in it as much as possible.

10:53 - Thank you.

10:55 - One last note that I would like to point out most people don't know.

10:58 - Carpenters Hall is not part of the National Park Service.

11:02 - It is independently owned. And it,

11:05 - it it forms people and it's there for the public.

11:09 - And it's independent with the carpenters company.

11:12 - So we want to thank them for making sure that history is always put forth.

11:17 - And it's not done just for the National Park Service.

11:20 - Thank you. You.

11:28 - All right.

11:29 - So to talk a little bit

11:30 - about what we're actually going to be doing in this project.

11:34 - As, as the our legislators said we're we're commemorating across the state

11:38 - the 250th anniversary of the Pennsylvania provincial Conference.

11:42 - Starting in March, we'll offer a three part virtual speaker series

11:46 - that will explore the history of the provincial conference, review.

11:50 - Pennsylvania's governing documents from the 17th century to today,

11:54 - and explain the increasing importance

11:56 - of state constitutions in American government and politics.

12:00 - These will be free to register and as virtual programs

12:03 - will be accessible to residents across the Commonwealth.

12:07 - In April, will hit the road for a series of in-person town halls

12:11 - with panel discussions on important

12:13 - legal issues impacted by our current state constitution.

12:17 - The town halls will take place in Philadelphia,

12:20 - right here in Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Erie.

12:23 - We're partnering with the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the county bar

12:27 - associations in each of those areas, and many other local partners

12:31 - to, identify appropriate speakers and panelists and promote those events.

12:37 - The framework for these town halls was developed in partnership

12:40 - with the Public Interest Law Center, and here to provide some more information

12:44 - about that.

12:44 - It's their executive director, Brant Lindell.

12:55 - Thank you.

12:55 - Michael.

12:57 - The Public Interest Law Center uses high impact legal strategies

13:01 - to advance the civil rights of communities throughout Pennsylvania.

13:06 - Discrimination, inequality, and poverty.

13:09 - Frequently, we do this by bringing litigation to vindicate

13:13 - the rights guaranteed to all of us by the Pennsylvania Constitution.

13:18 - The Law Center is proud to partner with Carpenters Hall

13:22 - and the other sponsors to commemorate the 250th

13:25 - anniversary of the provincial conference.

13:28 - This anniversary presents

13:31 - a unique opportunity to highlight the fact that while the U.S.

13:35 - Constitution sets a floor, the rights enumerated

13:38 - in the Pennsylvania Constitution go beyond those in the U.S.

13:42 - Constitution and affect the lives of everyone in this Commonwealth.

13:47 - These town halls will explore the state

13:50 - constitutional rights and why they matter.

13:53 - For example, the Pennsylvania Constitution provides

13:57 - that election shall be free and equal,

14:00 - and this clause has been used to challenge Partizan gerrymandering,

14:05 - a restrictive voter identification law, and County Board of Elections

14:09 - refusal to inform voters of disqualifying errors on their mail ballot packets.

14:16 - The Pennsylvania Constitution also requires

14:19 - a thorough and efficient system of public education,

14:23 - which was the basis for the historic ruling that Pennsylvania's system

14:27 - for funding public schools was unconstitutional,

14:31 - and the Environmental Rights Amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution

14:35 - guarantees the right to clean air and pure water.

14:40 - None of these rights appears in the U.S.

14:42 - Constitution, which just shows why the Pennsylvania.

14:46 - Constitution matters so much today.

14:49 - We're looking forward to discussing these topics and others

14:52 - in the town halls this April.

14:54 - Thank you.

15:00 - On June 18th,

15:01 - which is the 250th anniversary of the very first day of the provincial conference,

15:06 - we will dedicate a new state historic marker at Carpenters Hall

15:10 - and co-host with the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, a public program

15:14 - with Lycoming College history professor Christopher Pearl,

15:19 - who has written and researched the provincial conference extensively.

15:22 - That program will feature a pop up exhibit of some of the historical society's

15:27 - collections relating to the early years of Pennsylvania government.

15:33 - There's a digital component to this project as well.

15:35 - We will be employing, mobile polling at all of our commemorative programs

15:40 - and events and online on social media,

15:43 - to rank the importance of potential, reforms

15:47 - to the Pennsylvania state constitution and to hear what Pennsylvanians themselves

15:51 - think about those possible reforms.

15:54 - The project will conclude in September with the present, presentation by state

15:58 - constitutional expert Robert Williams on the impact of the 1776

16:02 - Pennsylvania Constitution on the United States Constitution.

16:06 - We will also release at that time the results of all the mobile polling

16:10 - to elected officials.

16:12 - And the media.

16:13 - So we can, let, you know, let the community know,

16:16 - what Pennsylvanians thought about about these possible reforms.

16:20 - There's a detailed list of programs, right here.

16:24 - On the easel.

16:24 - There's a QR code, that goes to our website, where we'll be posting

16:28 - updated information and registration links to the specific events.

16:33 - Finally, we're excited today to announce the newest element

16:36 - of our project, which we will hope will encourage, broad public participation

16:41 - as I hope you know, 2026 also marks

16:45 - the long awaited arrival of the FIFA World Cup to Pennsylvania.

16:48 - And here to detail an amazing partnership and opportunity is.

16:52 - And Ryan, the deputy secretary of tourism with the Pennsylvania.

16:56 - Department of Community and Economic Development and.

17:04 - Good morning.

17:05 - So you've already heard today why this anniversary matters.

17:09 - You've heard about the courage that was born in beautiful rooms

17:13 - like this, the debates that have shaped our Commonwealth

17:16 - and the responsibility that we all have to carry these conversations forward.

17:20 - So I'm not going to repeat it, but I will say this.

17:24 - The most powerful way to honor 250 years

17:28 - of Pennsylvania history is not just to look backwards,

17:31 - but to show the world who we are right now in this Commonwealth.

17:35 - That's why I want to thank Michael Norris and, the Carpenters Hall team,

17:39 - because the Town Hall series isn't about preserving history behind glass.

17:43 - It's about activating it.

17:44 - It's about inviting Pennsylvanians into the same spirit

17:48 - of participation that define the provincial conference,

17:51 - and asking what the next chapter of our Commonwealth should look like.

17:55 - Now, here's where that story accelerates,

17:58 - because as we commemorate Pennsylvania's founding, we're stepping into

18:02 - one of the most historic modern years that our state has ever seen.

18:05 - 2026 a year, one Pennsylvania doesn't just celebrate history.

18:10 - We host the world. In 2026.

18:13 - Our Commonwealth will host the NFL draft, the PGA Championship,

18:17 - the FIFA World Cup, and the MLB All-Star series.

18:20 - These are global events with massive stages, millions of visitors

18:24 - and where billions of eyes will be on Pennsylvania.

18:28 - And the beauty of these events in these moments

18:31 - is that they intersect perfectly with our 250th anniversary,

18:35 - the same state that invented the American experiment

18:38 - will welcome the world to experience what that experiment looks like today,

18:43 - which is in Pennsylvania dynamic,

18:46 - diverse, inclusive of, and still evolving.

18:50 - And we want these town halls to be connected to that future facing energy.

18:55 - So to celebrate this historic intersection of the past and the future, attendees

18:59 - at each town hall will have the chance to win an exclusive FIFA World.

19:04 - Cup experience, including an overnight stay at the study at University City.

19:10 - Which is courtesy of Visit Philadelphia

19:13 - and a private tour of Carpenter's Hall.

19:16 - So a FIFA World Cup adventure in Philadelphia, combined with the 250th

19:21 - anniversary of our Commonwealth, truly brings history in the future together.

19:25 - In one lived experience and experience that we want

19:29 - all Pennsylvanians to appreciate and enjoy.

19:32 - Because the story of Pennsylvania is not frozen in 1776, it's alive.

19:37 - It's unfolding,

19:38 - and it belongs to every Pennsylvanian who chooses to write the next chapter.

19:43 - Thank you.

19:48 - Thank you.

19:48 - And we're, just so honored and excited to have this incredible opportunity

19:53 - to increase awareness of our project and reach, reach new audience.

19:58 - Given our presence here in this amazing state capitol building,

20:01 - I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge our other primary partner

20:04 - on this project, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

20:08 - And here with a few final comments, is the executive director,

20:12 - Andrea Lowry.

20:18 - Thank you Michael.

20:19 - Good morning everyone.

20:22 - I'm Andrea Lowry.

20:23 - I am the executive director of the Pennsylvania Historical Museum Commission.

20:26 - We are the state's history agency, and we at the Pennsylvania.

20:30 - Historical Museum Commission are excited to partner with Carpenters Hall

20:34 - to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Pennsylvania Provincial Conference,

20:40 - which was a foundation and transformative moment in Commonwealth history.

20:44 - I'm grateful to Carpenters Hall for reaching out to the Commission

20:48 - to help celebrate this important milestone.

20:51 - We've been looking forward

20:52 - to this commemoration for several years now, as early as 2023.

20:57 - We were pleased to welcome Michael at a commission

20:59 - meeting to discuss the initial plans for marking this anniversary.

21:04 - We're especially

21:05 - excited to host the Harrisburg Town Hall on the state Constitution

21:09 - at the State Museum on April 15th, and to collaborate with Carpenters.

21:14 - Hall on the installation of their state historical marker in June.

21:19 - We're celebrating the Semi Quinn Centennial in many other ways to see

21:23 - our signature program is Pennsylvania

21:26 - 250, the Keystone of American History, a statewide initiative

21:31 - showcasing Pennsylvania's central role in the nation's

21:34 - founding, growth and democratic evolution.

21:38 - The Keystone State is not just a nickname.

21:41 - It reflects the Commonwealth's foundational role in the nation's history.

21:46 - At the center of this initiative is Revolutionary Things.

21:49 - Objects from the collection,

21:51 - a new exhibition right next door at the State Museum that features

21:54 - more than 140 artifacts spanning three centuries of Pennsylvania

21:59 - and American history.

22:02 - And we are celebrating the 250th around the Commonwealth

22:05 - through exhibits and programs at historic sites and museums

22:09 - like Brandywine Battlefield and Erie Maritime Museum,

22:13 - and by encouraging visitors to explore Pennsylvania history all across the state.

22:17 - Traveling along a revolutionary themed marker, historic

22:21 - historical marker trails.

22:25 - In addition, through grant funding

22:28 - grants, funding preservation projects, and new historical markers

22:32 - related to America's 50th, we're helping Pennsylvania communities

22:36 - across the state celebrate their place in Commonwealth history.

22:40 - In Pennsylvania, history is all around us, in our cities and towns, across

22:44 - our landscapes, reflected in our life ways, our communities, our government

22:49 - and history is a vital part of the life of every Pennsylvanian.

22:53 - Pennsylvania's history is the envy of other states,

22:56 - and we draw tourists not only from across the country, but

22:59 - internationally to experience what we have here.

23:03 - With the semi semicolon Centennial finally here.

23:05 - Everyone at Hmsi looks forward to a busy and exciting year

23:08 - as we explore our shared history with Carpenters Hall

23:11 - and with our many other partners across Pennsylvania.

23:15 - Thank you for the opportunity to celebrate Pennsylvania history

23:17 - with you here today.

23:23 - The rate.

23:25 - Thank you.

23:26 - Andrea.

23:29 - And thank you to everyone for joining us today.

23:32 - You heard mention of several of our partners during the program.

23:35 - We have many other partners.

23:36 - They are listed on our third easel, over here.

23:40 - And I want to thank them for their involvement and input and support.

23:44 - And finally, as Representative Isaacson mentioned,

23:47 - please take your complimentary copy of the state constitution with you.

23:51 - While it does not start with the immortal words, we the people,

23:54 - we are certain it has just as an important role to play in our social

23:58 - and political, and civic lives as Pennsylvanians.

24:02 - So thank you again. All right.