Long before fireworks illuminated summer skies and backyard grills became synonymous with Independence Day, a handful of men gathered in Philadelphia and changed the course of history.

Two hundred and fifty years later, Hoke County is preparing to celebrate that enduring legacy with a week long observance designed to honor the nation’s past while bringing together the people who continue to shape its future.

From June 29 through July 5, Hoke County’s official America 250 celebration will commemorate the semiquincentennial, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Organized by the America 250 NC Hoke County “We Are One” Committee, the celebration is part of a statewide effort that invites communities across North Carolina to tell their own stories within the larger American narrative.

Additional information about the event can be found through the committee’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/events/891285093607128 and the America 250 NC website at https://www.america250.nc.gov/. Community members interested in supporting the effort can also contribute through the “We Are One Hoke America250” donation campaign.

But for the volunteers and community leaders behind the celebration, this is about more than marking a date on the calendar.

It is about people. It is about place. And perhaps most importantly, it is about unity. Those ideals are reflected in the committee’s theme, “We Are One.”

Throughout months of planning, public outreach and community engagement, committee chair Iris Flowers and fellow organizers have repeatedly emphasized the importance of creating an event that belongs to everyone.

According to information shared by Flowers and the committee through public announcements and social media, the celebration seeks to bring together veterans, students, churches, civic organizations, businesses and families in a way that reflects the unique character of Hoke County.

Flowers has consistently emphasized that the observance is intended to be inclusive and community-centered.

“What we want people to understand is that this celebration is for everyone,” Flowers said. “The theme ‘We Are One’ reflects the idea that while we come from diverse backgrounds and experiences, we are united by our community and by our shared American story.”

That philosophy has guided the committee’s efforts from the beginning.

Rather than simply planning a Fourth of July event, organizers have spent months encouraging residents to become active participants. Community meetings, social media outreach, and collaborative efforts with local organizations have all been part of the process.

Their vision is rooted in the belief that history is not merely something found in textbooks. It is something lived, something remembered, something passed from one generation to the next. For a county whose identity has been shaped by military families, educators, faith leaders, farmers, and public servants, that message carries special significance.

Situated near Fort Bragg and home to generations of North Carolinians whose stories are woven into the fabric of the region, Hoke County reflects many of the qualities that have defined America itself: resilience, service and an enduring belief in community.

And while America’s bicentennial celebration in 1976 remains a vivid memory for many, few Americans alive today will have the opportunity to witness another milestone quite like this one. The nation’s tricentennial won’t arrive until 2076.

For many families, America’s 250th birthday is a once-in-a-lifetime occasion. Supporters commenting on committee posts have expressed excitement about seeing Hoke County represented in the national observance. Others have highlighted the importance of ensuring younger generations understand the sacrifices, struggles and triumphs that have shaped the country.

Flowers has echoed those sentiments, emphasizing that the celebration is ultimately about legacy.

“We want this to be something families can experience together,” Flowers has noted in public outreach efforts. “It’s an opportunity to honor the past, celebrate the present and inspire future generations.”

That sense of continuity can be found throughout our community. It exists in the stories shared around dinner tables. In the service of veterans who returned home and built lives in the community, in churches where generations of families have worshipped together and in classrooms where educators have prepared young people to become tomorrow’s leaders.

And it can be found in the countless volunteers who continue to invest their time and talents to strengthen the community. Those stories, organizers believe, deserve to be part of the broader story of America.

Across North Carolina, county committees have embraced the challenge of telling local stories that reflect the values and experiences of their communities. Hoke County’s contribution centers on a simple but powerful truth: despite differences in age, race, occupation or background, communities are strongest when people come together.

That spirit has been evident in the committee’s participation in civic activities and community partnerships leading up to the anniversary.

For Flowers, the hope is that the memories created during the week long celebration will extend far beyond the events themselves.

“We hope people remember how the community came together,” Flowers shared. “At the end of the day, that’s what ‘We Are One’ really means.”

Perhaps that is the greatest lesson of America’s 250th birthday. Not that the nation has always been perfect, but that generation after generation, ordinary people have continued striving toward the ideals first expressed in 1776.

And in Hoke County, those ideals are being celebrated not through division, but through unity. Not through politics, but through people. Not through individual achievement, but through shared purpose.

Two hundred and fifty years after America’s founding, Hoke County is preparing to do more than celebrate history. It is preparing to write its own chapter. A chapter built on remembrance, service and hope. And a chapter captured by three words that have become both a theme and a promise for the community: We Are One. 

For more information about Hoke County’s America 250 celebration, visit the America 250 NC website and the Hoke County “We Are One” Facebook page. Donations supporting the celebration can be made through the “We Are One Hoke America250” fundraising campaign.