National Monument to the U.S. Constitution

The National Monument to the U.S. Constitution with President Ronald Reagan

The National Monument to the U.S. Constitution (also known as the Constitution Bicentennial Monument) is a monument commissioned of Australian artist Brett-Livingstone Strong by Warren E. Burger, Chairman of the Commission on the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the signing of the United States Constitution. One of a pair created by Strong to commemorate historic anniversaries, along with The United States Presidency Monument, it was dedicated by President Ronald Reagan at Independence Hall in Philadelphia on September 17, 1987. Both monuments are the property of the Global EventMakers,Inc., a Florida based company with principal offices in Richmond, Virginia. The monument has been transported for display at several public events around the country and is scheduled to join a twenty-city traveling exhibit as part of the Spirit of Freedom Tour beginning in September 2011.

Description

Constructed of polychrome and patinated cire perdu cast silicon bronze and polished marble and granite, the monument stands 8'4" high and weighs just under 7 tons. The cast silicon bronze Bald Eagle symbolizes American's personal freedoms, independence, courage, pride and dignity. Below the eagle is a circular plinth between the eagle and the pedestal where replicas of the signatures of the United States Constitution are circumscribed. The octagonal pedestal is constructed of white marble and red and blue granite with white marble stars arranged to symbolize the American Flag.^[1]

Origin

In the late 1980s, the Commission on the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution conceived of two monuments to commemorate United States history, one celebrating the 200th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution and another the 200th anniversary of the establishment of the U.S. presidency. Australian artist Brett Livingstone Strong was commissioned by former Chief Justice Warren E. Burger, who served as chairman of that Commission, to produce these monuments.^[2] At that time, the Commission intended that the monument would travel across the country as part of the national celebrations of the Constitution's bicentennial in 1987.

The National Monument to the U.S. Constitution was officially dedicated at its unveiling at Independence Hall in Philadelphia by Ronald Reagan on the bicentennial, September 17, 1987.^[2] Both monuments were officially recognized, along with the five bronze original replica plaques, by the artist, of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Subsequent history

In 1989, both the National Monument to the U.S. Constitution and the United States Presidency Monument were the property of the American Spirit Corporation, affiliated with the non-profit American Spirit Foundation.^[3] In 1990, the American Spirit Corporation allowed a lien to be placed on the monument to the U.S. Presidency collateral for unpaid attorneys fees of $110,000.00 owed to a law firm in Los Angeles, CA.Subsequently the foundation was dissolved and the two monuments were owned by different parties until they were reunited in 2004.^[3]

Display

The National Monument to the U.S. Constitution at the Rose Bowl Parade.

Although the monument did not tour as planned in 1987, it was displayed in a parade celebrating the bicentennial in Philadelphia.^[4] It was also featured at the "Spirit of Freedom Country Music Festival" in The Plains, Virginia in 1989 and, in 1990, the Rose Bowl Parade.^{[citation needed]} The monument was taken to Richmond, Virginia where in January 1990 it was the centerpiece for the Gubernatorial inaugural celebration of Douglas Wilder.^[3] In 2003, it was relocated to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California.^[5] In 2012, the National Monument to the U.S. Constitution will embark on the Spirit of Freedom Tour, a 20-city exhibition tour sponsored by the non-profit organization American Constitution Spirit Corporation.^[6]

References

1. ^ http://docs.google.com/gview?a=v&q=cache:mLEqaoFRJt0J:www.art-exchange.com/DownloadPressRelease.aspx%3FPressID%3D27+%22polychrome+and+patinated+%22&hl=en&gl=us
2. ^ ^{a b} "Spirit of Freedom Tour: National Monuments". American Constitution Spirit Corporation. http://www.spiritoffreedomtour.org/monuments.cfm. Retrieved 2009-07-19. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} Henriques, Diana B. (July 22, 1990). "Wall Street; The Dubious Profits in Patriotism". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1990/07/22/business/wall-street-the-dubious-profits-in-patriotism.html?pagewanted=all. Retrieved 2009-07-19. 
4. ^ Bowles, Scott (August 25, 1996). "Monument Awaits Day in the Sun". Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/1996-08-25/news/mn-37467_1. Retrieved 2009-07-19. 
5. ^ "Reagan library to host event". The Acorn. March 13, 2003. http://www.theacorn.com/News/2003/0313/Community/008.html. Retrieved 2009-07-19. 
6. ^ "Spirit of Freedom Tour". American Constitution Spirit Corporation. http://www.spiritoffreedomtour.org/tour.cfm. Retrieved 2009-07-19.