Memory goes beyond personal flashbacks or shared remembrances of family or friends; rather, memory also encompasses what, who, and how larger cultures celebrate their common past. These questions around historical memory are significant because they shape what our celebrations will look like. Within the context of Pennsylvania and the United States, such as the 2026 Sestercentennial, memory is shaped by historical figures and events of the past:

  • What do we remember? Celebrations revolving around politial or geographic identity (as in, being a Pennsylvanian or an American) tend to focus on military engagements, legal and legislative triumphs, pivotal social movements, etc.
  • Who do we remember? Pennsylvanians know both figures of the Commonwealth like William Penn or Benjamin Franklin, and the founding fathers of the United States like George Washington. 
  • How do we remember? Every 4th of July, Americans hold cookouts, attend parades, and set off fireworks to commemmorate independence and the patriotic themes independence imbues.

Yet as a nation, America doesn’t have one agreed-upon story, or one collective “memory”. The same can be said of Pennsylvania as a Commonwealth, or as a part of that national story. Individuals or groups remember events and figures differently. Even across time, similar groups have different recollections; memories change as time passes, with some details remembered or forgotten. The same can be said about remembering Pennsylvania and the United States; emphasis on remembering certain historical figures may rise or wane, and new marginalized stories are added to every celebration that were not included before. These continually-adjusting perspectives make remembering Pennsylvania or America a dynamic event, constantly evolving with new ways to celebrate and new stories to be told.

Death of Gen'l Montgomery - frontispiece lithograph from Das Leben des Georg Washington, 1817

Further, memories are essential in creating mythology around historical figures. The current memory of an historical figure can be a composite of exaggerated or fabricated memories battling with reality in the historical narrative. For example, George Washington has an impressive mythology surrounding his historical identity; memories of his military achievements are shared alongside stories like the cherry tree tale, fabricated to add symbolic emphasis to the morality of his character and grow the importance of his memory.

Selected holdings of the State Library of Pennsylvania pertaining to or reinforcing the concept of memory and commemmoration have been digitized as part of the America250 project, and are freely available by clicking the button below.

Pennsylvania's memory begins with the first family of Pennsylvania: the Penn family. Pennsylvanians are unique among Americans in holding a strong connection with our founder, holding a rather positive collective memory of the fair and just Quaker that organized a tolerant and progressive experiment in governance. William Penn and the Penn family maintain a hold on Pennsylvania memory, and set the precedent of what the identity of the Commonwealth should be.

 

As you examine the manuscripts from the Penn family, consider the following questions:

  • How does preserving important primary sources such as these manuscripts contribute to the endurance of memory?
  • How is memory influenced by these personal correspondences compared to carefully-curated publications?
First Memories: The Penn Family

William Penn and Admiral William Penn Manuscripts

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A Letter of William Penn (Son) to His Father

The American Revolution dominates patriotic memory in the United States, and is possibly the most positive influence on American memory. Symbols like the Betsy Ross flag, Liberty Bell, or the founding fathers like George Washington, continue to be celebrated and commemorated to this day. But it isn't just on the 4th of July - Revolution battlefields like Bunker Hill are visited annually by millions of visitors, children of various ages learn about colonial and early republic history throughout the school year, and re-runs of movies like The Patriot can be watched any day on TV. The influence of the American Revolution on collective American memory is inescapable, and is the foundation on which other remembrances are judged - by how well they hold up to that core patriotic identity of what it means to be American.

 

A Funeral Oration, on the Death of General Washington

1799

Eulogy of George Washington by Major General Henry Lee (Light-Horse Harry Lee) which quipped the famous line "First in War, first in Peace, and first in the Hearts of His Countrymen."

Suggested Activities or Questions to Consider:

In a case where a famous quote becomes synonymous with a person, what influence does this "slogan" have on the person's memory?

Many consider it common courtesty to not speak ill of the deceased. Is it a disservice to memory to only speak positively on figures like George Washington, setting aside negative aspects of his life such as slaveholding?

A History of the Life and Death, Virtues and Exploits, of General George Washington

1800

The first biography of George Washington by Parson Weems, which helped establish the myth and memory of Washington and his virtues.

Suggested Activities or Questions to Consider:

As seen through the cherry tree tale (added in 1806 editions), memory (especially over time) influences fact and reality, potentially making the tale taller and stronger in value. Are these metaphors made by memory beneficial or detrimental?

What role do biographies play in remembering the legacy of great historical figures?

The Last Men of the Revolution

1864

Book on the last surviving veterans of the American Revolution. Includes accessory materials such as a lithographic reproduction of a latter from Edward Everett, dated the day that he died, to the publishers concerning the book, as well as pasted newspaper clippings of other veterans that passed.

Suggested Activities or Questions to Consider:

How do the letter and newspaper clippings added to the original book after publication act as a testimony to the continuous process of memory?

What role does remembering the common soldier veterans play in contrast to remembering the much more famous commanders and politicians of the era?

Pennsylvanians since the Revolution have continued to celebrate the Commonwealth and the United States, remembering the good old days through pictures, prose, and other commemmorations. The 250 years since indepdendence have brought new way to celebrate: the Internet and audio recordings contribute the same as the traditional means seen here in books and poetry.

 

As you examine these materials celebrating the past, consider the following questions:

  • The Pittsburgh book contains many pictures on historical places that still exist today. How influential is it on memory that some places can still be seen today, and others have been torn down?
  • How does the emotional and symbolic prose of poetry influence memory as opposed to factual historical writing?
After the Revolution: Remembering America, and Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh in Ye Olden Time

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Sesqui-Centennial Ode, 1776-1926

  • Every new major celebration of the United States of America incorporates something new that previous celebrations could not; for example, the Bicentennial did not have the Internet pages and online exhibitions like the Sestercentennial has. Think about the Tricentennial coming in 2076: what do you think may be a new way to celebrate the United States when that celebration comes?
  • How do the planned celebrations you have seen for the Sestercentennial compare to how independence days are celebrated internationally? Explore online and find out what traditions other nations have!
  • More and more major American figures are celebrated every year for their contributions alongside the traditional figures like George Washington. Who are some Americans in today's world that may be celebrated for their contributions for hundreds of years to come? Are there American figures from the past that you wish got more attention in national celebrations?
  • The concept of "landscape as memory" acknowledges that physical spaces themselves can carry memories if people continue to visit, maintain, and respect the place - think of the Gettysburg National Military Park, or Independence Hall. On a personal level, think of somewhere like a grandparents' house. Do you have a local place that you think has its own enduring memory?

Click on the links below to find additonal online resources pertaining to evolving memory of great American figures, such as George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, and commemoration of America's anniversaries. These materials are held physically by the State Library of Pennsylvania but were not selected for digitization due to already being freely available online.

Official Events Program: Sesquicentennial International Exhibition

The Sesqui-Centennial International Exhibition: A Record based on Official Data and Departmental Reports

Official Sesqui-Centennial Daily Program and Guide

Washington at Valley Forge One Hundred Years Ago: or, the Foot-Prints of the Revolution

The Washingtoniana: Containing a Sketch of the Life and Death of the Late Gen. George Washington 

Eulogium on Benjamin Franklin