Thanksgiving Message from President & CEO Catherine Townsend
Thanksgiving Message from President & CEO Catherine Townsend
As I reflect over the Thanksgiving weekend with our nation's 250th anniversary fast approaching, I’m reminded of the courage and sacrifice that helped build our nation and share gratitude to the 56 brave signers of our nation’s founding charter, the Declaration of Independence. Most people recognize John Hancock, whose bold signature is familiar, and his story of success is often celebrated.
But many of the other 56 signers who helped secure our freedom suffered much more personal losses and tragedies in relative obscurity— and their stories deserve our gratitude as well.
John Hart of New Jersey lost his home and his family as he fled invading forces. He died having never rebuilt his life.
Richard Stockton also of New Jersey was captured, starved, and returned home to find everything he owned destroyed.
Thomas Nelson Jr., Governor of Virginia, ordered American troops to fire on his own home during the Siege of Yorktown when the British occupied it. He lived the rest of his life in financial ruin.
These men — and their wives and families, along with hundreds of thousands of people across the colonies and beyond — gave up their safety, their health, and often their livelihoods because they believed in a country that did not yet fully exist. Some never lived to see the freedoms they helped secure.
There is a memorial to the 56 Signers in Constitution Gardens on the National Mall, originally dedicated for the 1976 Bicentennial. It is in poor condition and needs our attention to ensure it continues to properly honor our founders. As we approach the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026, the Trust for the National Mall is working to raise the funds needed to restore this 36-acre landscape as a new gift to the nation, providing a thriving and inviting historic park for the public to enjoy.
The restoration of the memorial is just one of the Trust’s legacy projects to honor America’s 250th. This is Our Monumental Moment. We are grateful to the many corporate and philanthropic partners who have already stepped forward to support this important work. More funding is needed to begin the restoration of the Memorial to the 56 Signers and to support critical projects and programs on the National Mall. We hope you’ll join us and be a part of history for 2026— whether as a volunteer, a donor, or simply an ambassador who helps promote the important work ahead.
Inspired by America’s 250th, the Trust recently launched a new digital learning platform called the National Mall Gateway, which brings the stories behind our monuments and memorials, historic structures, and landscapes on America's Front Yard to life. It’s designed for students, teachers, families, and anyone who wants to understand the deeper history of the National Mall and the moments of hope, reflection, and remembrance it represents. Take a virtual tour here.
Finally, we give thanks to the National Park Service — across the country and especially here on America’s Front Yard. The Trust for the National Mall is proud to serve as their partner in our shared mission to restore, preserve and enrich the National Mall for all who visit – for 2026, and generations to come. We are grateful for their dedication each and every day.
With deep appreciation for your support for our mission,
- Catherine Townsend, President & CEO, Trust for the National Mall