Bells Across America, a time to celebrate the signing of the United States Constitution, was celebrated locally in our county seat at the Pickens County Museum of Art and History on September 17, 2024, the 237^th anniversary of the Constitution’s signing. The event was presented by the Fort Prince George Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution and the Pickens County 250 Committee (which plans events to celebrate our nation’s upcoming 250^th birthday).

Carolyn Nations, Chair of the Pickens County 250 Committee and immediate past Regent of the Fort Prince George Chapter, NSDAR, opened a ceremony inside the museum, before the ringing of the bells outside in front of the museum. “On September 17, 1787, members of the Constitutional Convention signed the final draft of the U.S. Constitution. For almost 250 years, the Constitution has served as the most important document in American history and government. This sacred and important document established our national government and fundamental laws and has protected and guaranteed certain basic rights to the citizens of the United States. At 4,400 words long, the U.S. Constitution is the oldest and the shortest major written government document in the world. Just think – it is 237 years old today, and this document, with a few amendments added here and there, is still essentially the same document that established the basis of our governing laws and the founding of our country. Each year, Americans are encouraged to reflect on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.”

Then, Nations, who serves as State Chaplain for the South Carolina Daughters of the American Revolution, gave the invocation: “Father, we stand here today as our forefathers stood before you in days gone by. Celebrating our history on this day, we give you thanks for your favor that you have so graciously given to us. We thank you for the blessing of liberty. We ask that you give to the people of this country a zeal to persevere and preserve this nation for those that come after us. We ask you, Lord, to raise up a generation that will shine and carry their light into this world, a generation that will not compromise under pressure and that will not cower when others fall away. Father, raise up warriors who will fight on their knees as they lift their prayers and petitions to you. Lord, may our battle cry be forever on our lips, in our hearts, and be heard throughout this land. God bless America. In your precious name I pray, Amen.”

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Fort Prince George Chapter member Marion Whitehurst: “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

The American’s Creed was led by Fort Prince George Chapter member Lynda Abegg: “I believe in the United States of America as a government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed, a democracy in a republic, a sovereign nation of many sovereign states; a perfect union, one and inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes. I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it, to support its Constitution, to obey its laws, to respect its flag, and to defend it against all enemies.”

The Preamble to the Constitution was led by Fort Prince George Chapter member Darlene Levy:  “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

The first verse of the national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner”, was led by Fort Prince George Chapter member and past Regent Anne Kilpatrick: “O! say can you see by the dawn’s early light, ⁠What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming, Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight, O’er the ramparts we watch’d, were so gallantly streaming? And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our Flag was still there; O! say does that star-spangled banner yet wave, ⁠O’er the Land of the free and the home of the brave?”

The salute to the flag of South Carolina was led by Fort Prince George Chapter member Heather Thompson, who brought her son, Micah, and daughter, Naomi, to the event: “I salute the flag of South Carolina and pledge to the Palmetto State love, loyalty, and faith.”

Joyce Hansel, Regent of the Fort Prince George Chapter, NSDAR, explained why we, as a nation, honor the Constitution on Constitution Day. “Each year, on September 17, Americans celebrate Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. The observance of Constitution Week runs annually September 17 – 23. It was officially enacted on August 2, 1956 by Dwight D. Eisenhower from a Congressional resolution petition by the Daughters of the American Revolution. During this week, Mayors across the nation are encouraged to sign a proclamation designating September 17 – 23 as Constitution Week in their municipalities and encourage their citizens to reflect on the rights and the responsibilities of citizenship. Mayor Scipio was unable to join us today for this program but has signed a proclamation proclaiming the 17^th through the 23^rd as Constitution Week in the City of Pickens.”

Nations then explained why bells are rung for the special ceremony. “During the Colonial period of our country, bells were used to call people together and to alert them to important announcements or events. Bells called the people of Philadelphia together to hear the Declaration of Independence read publicly for the first time, on July 8, 1776.” Referring to the day of the signing of the Constitution, she said, “After four months of heated debate, they reached an agreement on September 17, 1787. As they emerged from Independence Hall at approximately 4 p.m., all the church bells in Philadelphia were ringing to celebrate the signing of the Constitution. Today, all across America, bells will ring at 4:00 p.m. to commemorate this historic event. In celebrating the Constitution, the DAR’s goals are threefold: to encourage the study of the historic events that led to the framing of the Constitution, to remind the public that the Constitution is the basis of America’s great heritage and the foundation for its way of life, and to emphasize that it is all citizens’ responsibilities to protect, defend, and preserve the Constitution of these United States of America. Our Constitution stands as a testament to the tenacity of Americans throughout history to maintain their liberties and freedoms and to ensure those unalienable rights to every American.”

To conclude the ceremony, everyone gathered outside the front of the museum to ring bells for a full minute at 4:00 p.m. Firefighters with the Pickens Fire Department, across the street from the museum, sounded an alarm on a fire truck to join in the celebration. Following the ringing of the bells, everyone sang “God Bless America.”

The four South Carolinians who signed the United States Constitution were Pierce Butler, Charles Pinckney, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, and John Rutledge.