Meck Dec Day celebration at Charlotte Museum of History May 21

Charlotte Museum of History is once again celebrating Charlotte’s most legendary moment, the signing of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, or MeckDec, which took place on May 20, 1775. Some historians say the MeckDec was America’s original declaration of independence.

The celebration will take place on Saturday, May 21st, 2022, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the museum, 3500 Shamrock Drive, Charlotte.

Learn about all the Meck Dec Day celebrations around Charlotte!

All of the activities at Charlotte Museum of History’s celebration will be included in the regular price of admission, which is $10 for adults, $7 for seniors (age 62+), children (6-17) and students with ID. Admission is free for children 5 and under and Charlotte Museum of History members.

Man in colonial garb making a declaration — Photo by Mace Publishing, LLC

11 a.m.-2 p.m. – Foods of Resistance: 18th Century Cooking Demonstration. Volunteer and educator Janet Wade will demonstrate 18th-century techniques, exploring recipes that enslaved people commonly made during the Revolutionary period and showing their connections to today’s Southern cuisine and African food traditions.

11 a.m.-4 p.m. – Take an illustrated book walk and see what the 1774 Alexander homesite looked like on the eve of the American Revolution through the eyes of Jenny, an eight-year-old enslaved girl who lived there at the time. Jenny’s story, illustrated by local teacher and artist Devon Wilkinson, shares what she may have experienced living and working on the property. While the specifics of her story are fictionalized, Jenny’s story is characteristic of many young African children who were born into slavery. On the illustrated walk, Jenny highlights moments in her daily life that involved people often left out of the historic Revolutionary story: enslaved men, women and children, as well as a visiting group from the Catawba Indian Nation.

11:30 a.m. – Costumed interpreter Robert Ryals will read the MeckDec on the steps of Charlotte’s oldest standing home, the 1774 Alexander Rock House.

12 p.m. – Author, podcaster and former attorney Landis Wade will talk about his latest book, “Deadly Declarations,” a fictional mystery set in Charlotte with the MeckDec at its center.

2 p.m.-4 p.m. – Take a MeckDec-themed tour of the historic homesite with costumed interpreter Robert Ryals. You’ll visit the Rock House, kitchen, herb garden and springhouse. The tour ends with a ringing of the Freedom Bell.