ENCINITAS — Inspired by the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Encinitas Historical Society is launching a series of interactive events celebrating an idea that consumed many in what was then known as the Pennsylvania State House 250 years ago.
“Independence days and emancipation proclamations are all aspirational,” said Hillel Schwartz, the society’s archivist. “And at the same time, they’re invitational. That is, they are saying, ‘This is what we would like. This is how we would hope it would happen and we want you to help us. We want you to join with us.’”
The historical society will host a series of Independence Saturdays featuring interactive, educational activities that explore various forms of independence pursued by Southern Californians since the mid-18th century.
Schwartz said part of the series focuses on the role such declarations play in the “vast enterprise to make independence and liberty and freedom stick.”
“When you sign a declaration of independence, even if you’re John Hancock, that doesn’t make it happen that moment,” he said. “Then you fight a war, then you pass laws, or then you make compromises. And then you have to do the actual administration of the independence, or the liberty, or the freedom.
“And we’re still working on that, it’s not finished.”
Independence Saturdays
On select Saturdays between June and October, the Encinitas Historical Society will open its 1883 one-room schoolhouse, which shares a parking lot with the Pacific View Arts Center, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the series. The events will be free and open to the public, funded by a grant from the Coastal Community Foundation.
In addition to celebrating the signers of the Declaration of Independence around July 4, the series will conclude Oct. 3 with a celebration marking the 40th anniversary of Encinitas’ incorporation as a city.
The first Independence Saturday is dedicated to the history of Black Americans and is scheduled to coincide with Juneteenth on June 19 and June 20.
Other groups being recognized include Japanese Americans on June 27, Native Californians on Aug. 8, American women on Aug. 22, Californians and San Diegans on Sept. 12, and Mexican Americans on Sept. 19.
Schwartz said the series is not intended to dwell on “the darkest sides of human beings.”
“We’ll be having activities throughout the schoolhouse and outside of the schoolhouse where people can work on the experience of independence,” he said. “For example, for Independence Day itself, we are going to have turkey quill pens where people can try to practice using turkey quill pens and to see if they can also sign the Declaration of Independence.”
The events will also feature documentaries, music, oral histories and activities with artists.
“We will have people working in the garden on different aspects of the natural landscape as it changed with each of these communities,” Schwartz said.
There will also be a collaborative collage exploring how various residents came to Encinitas.
“Basically all people except the Kumeyaay and the Luiseño have been migrating toward Encinitas for many years,” Schwartz said.
