PORTSMOUTH — On a crisp Monday afternoon, local and state officials gathered at the Portsmouth Fire Department to plant a new symbol of Rhode Island’s revolutionary spirit — a Liberty Tree — as part of the state’s ongoing commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary of independence.

The event, hosted by the Rhode Island 250th (“RI250”) Commission in partnership with the Portsmouth 250th Commission, is one of 39 Liberty Tree plantings planned across the state through 2026. Each Red Maple, Rhode Island’s state tree, represents the enduring ideals of “defiance, unity, and freedom” that fueled the American Revolution.

Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore, who chairs the RI250 Commission, opened the ceremony by thanking the Portsmouth Fire Department for hosting. “It’s appropriate that we are here in Portsmouth, where the action was in regards to Rhode Island and the American Revolution,” he said, noting the town’s connection to the 1778 Battle of Rhode Island and its 1st Rhode Island Regiment, also known as the “Black Regiment.”

Amore reflected on the courage of Rhode Island’s two signers of the Declaration of Independence — William Ellery and Stephen Hopkins — emphasizing Hopkins’s determination to sign despite his trembling hand. 

“He was suffering from palsy — probably Parkinson's disease — and he wanted to make sure that those around him were not conveying that shaking of his hand as a fearful signing,” Amore said. “He took his left hand and stabled his right. And he said, ‘My hand trembles, but my heart does not.’”

Calling the Declaration’s second sentence “the most incredible sentence in human history,” Amore quoted, “‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…’” He noted that the document’s revolutionary nature lay in its assertion that “the people became the government. They are no longer subjects whose consent is required. This is monumental.”

Chance for reflection

Amore said the approaching Semiquincentennial offers a chance for national reflection: “We need this discussion to happen. Because of those elements that I outlined in the Declaration of Independence, there is not a Democratic point of view or Republican point of view. There is only an American point of view.”

He said the RI250 Commission aims “to take this message across the state through programming, professional development, and unique opportunities to share the American story, which is Rhode Island’s story.” Noting that the country is “250 days out” from the 250th anniversary, he called Portsmouth “an appropriate place to be.”

Congressman Gabe Amo also tied the day’s symbolism to current challenges. “At a time like this, we seem to have an intractable polarization,” he said. “Let’s start out by acknowledging where we are all together.”

He described Rhode Island as “a beacon of freedom,” invoking the nearby Portsmouth Friends Meeting House as “an articulation and visualization of that religious freedom for which our country has stood out — but that started here.” Amo also pointed to the presence of the 1st Rhode Island Regiment as “a symbol of the pursuit of freedom when you may not have your own.”

As the nation approaches 250 years, Amo said, “this is probably the unifying moment, the unifying event, to articulate and re-articulate who we are, but also who we can be.” He urged that Americans “reaffirm that we must communicate, we must elevate, and we must celebrate who we are … and why our country should, can, and must endure another 250 years.”

Local legislators comment

State Sen. Linda L. Ujifusa noted the community’s long history of civic engagement. “What really strikes me is how many of you I know, and how many of you have given so much of your lives to public service,” she said. “In this moment of so much divisiveness … that is a sign of hope for me.”

Rep. Terri Cortvriend reflected on the Liberty Tree tradition itself, saying the 18th-century trees were “a place for the community to gather, and to talk about ideas, and debate ideas,” adding that it remains vital “that we can actually talk things through, and talk with each other and not at each other.”

Rep. Michelle McGaw said she recently revisited the Declaration of Independence. “A lot of us … often don't take time to go back and read through those founding documents,” she said. “When I think about the Declaration of Independence, I think of it as a living, breathing document. And it needs all of us to sustain it.” (Note: McGaw is the wife of Jim McGaw, this story’s author.)

Rep. Susan Donovan linked the day’s themes to education, describing the annual “history system walks” she leads for local fourth-graders “because it's so important that they know the history of these communities.”

Town Council President Keith Hamilton reminded attendees that the town was founded in 1638 — long before the Revolutionary War. With a grin, he added, “Portsmouth is the birthplace of American freedom and liberty. So, as you think about all these Liberty Tree plantings that are going on throughout the state, remember: we were here first,” drawing laughter from the crowd.

Craig Clark, president of the Portsmouth Historical Society, served as emcee for the ceremony. He recalled being impressed that “about 50 people attended the first meeting of the Portsmouth 250th Commission,” a turnout he said reflected the town’s enthusiasm for honoring its past.

The ceremony concluded with remarks from Rebecca Sattel, vice president of the Portsmouth Historical Society, who noted the Society will have a busy year of events next year leading up to the 250th anniversary.