LISTEN: For America 250, the National Archives is flying nine original documents from the founding era around the country. The most recent stop is at the Atlanta History Center until April 12. GPB's Devon Zwald has more.
In honor of the United States 250th anniversary, the National Archives is flying nine original documents from the founding era around the country.
The most recent stop is here in Georgia, at the Atlanta History Center, where they’ll be on display until April 12.
An 1823 engraving of the Declaration of Independence and the Oaths of Allegiance of George Washington, Alexander Hamilton (who signs as Alex Hamilton) and Aaron Burr are four of the nine documents that are part of the exhibition "Freedom Plane National Tour: Documents That Forged a Nation."
“The Freedom Plane tour highlights a key aspect of the mission of the National Archives and the National Archive's foundation, which is to share these historic records with the American public,” said Patrick Madden National Archives Foundation CEO at a ceremony when the documents arrived in Atlanta in aboard a Boeing 737 with commemorative “Freedom Plane” livery.
The National Archives had two purposes for which documents to choose, said Jessie Kratz an historian with the National Archives and the curator of the exhibition.
“It captures really the beginning of our story in 1774 all the way through the final proposal of the Bill of Rights in 1789,” Kratz said. “But in addition, we also wanted to capture the spirit of the National Archives Rotunda. And we have the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution on permanent display. So we wanted to bring versions of these documents to the American people.”
That includes a Senate markup of the Bill of Rights from 1789.
“And it is the printed text of the Bill of Rights, is the 17 amendments that the House proposed,” said Kratz. "And then over that, you see the Senate had X'd some out and amended some and changed some wording to make that the 12 amendments that were eventually proposed."
She says the 17 amendments were consolidated into 12. Then Amendments Three through 12 were ratified to make the Bill of Rights.
“You kind of see from this document that the Bill of Rights just didn't come down finished, as a perfect document," Kratz said. "There was a lot of give and take and compromise. And this is an excellent document that shows how that came to be about.”
This compromise is one of Atlanta History Center president and CEO Sheffield Hale’s favorite things about the documents.
“You could see how they negotiated, and you can see how the documents changed and you see the real signatures like on the Treaty of Paris,” Hale said, referring to the Treaty of Paris formally recognizing the United States as an independent nation. “But you have the signatures there of John Jay, Benjamin Franklin and John Adams. It's really clear as day. To me, that just takes you there in the history.”
The lights in the room where the documents are displayed are dim, the temperature is controlled and the humidity is kept at a controlled percentage. Visitors are given a viewing time slot to control the crowds.
It’s all part of keeping the documents safe, Hale said.
Hale was part of the ceremony when the Freedom Plane arrived in Atlanta.
He witnessed the National Guard unload custom-made crates that kept the documents safe during the flight.
“And then when they get here, I went and saw the curator taking them out and be able to see them right in front of me,” Hale said. “Personally, it's been a high point in my career.”
The Atlanta History Center says the exhibit is sold out.
After Sunday, the exhibit flies to Los Angeles, its next stop.
