U.S. Department of the InteriorDOI News Header
Media Advisory
Dec. 13, 2006
Contact: Joan Moody (DOI) 202-208-6416
Darren Boch (NPS-NY) 718-354-4526

Department of the Interior and National Archives to Open
Original NY Bill of Rights Ratification Display at Federal Hall

NEW YORK CITY--Deputy Secretary of the Interior Lynn Scarlett will join Archivist of the United States Allen Weinstein, members of the New York Congressional Delegation and other leaders at a ceremony on Dec. 14 at Federal Hall National Memorial showcasing ratification of the U.S. Bill of Rights.


The Archivist of the United States will unveil the original document of the New York State Ratification of the Bill of Rights at Federal Hall, a site of the Interior Department’s National Park Service.


“The Bill of Rights endures as a hallmark of liberty,” said the Deputy Secretary of the Interior. “The ceremony at Federal Hall, where the Bill of Rights was drafted, will mark the state ratification document’s first New York City exhibition since it was signed in 1790,” Scarlett noted.


The document will be on public display from Dec. 14-17 as part of a new National Archives exhibit at Federal Hall called “New York City: An American Capital.”


“We are really excited that the National Archives exhibit will help the National Park Service tell the story of the birth of our nation at Federal Hall,” said Mary Bomar, Director of the National Park Service. “It is a great partnership between our agencies.”


Who: Deputy Secretary of Interior Lynn Scarlett
Archivist of the United States Allen Weinstein
Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY)
Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)
Tom Wheeler, President, Foundation for the National Archives
Maria Burks, Commissioner, National Parks of New York Harbor
Sean McGuinness, Acting Supt., Federal Hall National Memorial

What & When: Thursday, Dec. 14
9:00 a.m. Archivist announcement and unveiling*:
(Pre-set time for television/radio is 8:30 a.m.)
10:30-11:30 a.m. Naturalization ceremony*:
*Unveiling and naturalization ceremonies open to press only.
1:00 p.m. Federal Hall opens to public.
Press interviews: 9:30 a.m. - with announcement participants.
11:30 a.m. - with ceremony participants.
Photo opportunities:
10:30 a.m. - naturalization ceremony.
1 p.m. Federal Hall opens to the public: The celebration will include a naturalization ceremony and a host of public offerings throughout the four-day Ratification display (Dec. 14-17), including interpreters in Period costume, children’s activities, free tours of the building, and onsite discussions of the Ratification document.
Special public building hours are as follows: Dec. 14, 1:00-5:00 p.m.; Dec.15, 9:00-7:00 p.m.; Dec 16-17, 9:00-5:00 p.m. Regular hours are 9:00-5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Where: Federal Hall National Memorial, 26 Wall Street, New York, NY
Use the Pine Street Entrance.
Why: Located on Wall Street, Federal Hall is called “The Birthplace of American Government” because George Washington took the oath of office in New York City, our nation’s first capital and former home to the first Congress, Supreme Court, and executive offices.
The National Park Service recently completed a two-year $16 million renovation of Federal Hall. The site is one of ten that is part of the National Parks of New York Harbor. The Conservancy of National Parks of New York Harbor, the National Park Service’s primary nonprofit partner in New York City, assisted in arranging the relationship between the National Archives and the National Park Service.
The Federal Hall web site is: http://www.nps.gov/feha/.

 

 

 
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