Delaware's 250th
Delaware, the first state to join the Union, will commemorate the two hundred and fiftieth year of its independence alongside the nation’s own semiquincentennial anniversary in 2026. These interconnected anniversaries offer a unique opportunity to examine how Delawareans are conceptualizing the significance of both commemorations, as the legacy and continued relevancy of historical memory of the American Revolution are ultimately determined at both national and individual scales. From the founding of a Swedish colony in 1638 to Caesar Rodney’s infamous ‘midnight ride’ to ensure the vote for American independence, the state’s colonial past has long informed both Delaware’s historical identity and commemorations of the state’s role in the American Revolution. Delawareans today, however, have more to add to the story.
While the preceding postcards in this exhibit have all dated to the twentieth century, the earliest objects within the Department of State, Delaware Heritage Commission Semiquincentennial Records collection at the Delaware Public Archives were created in 2024. Currently, the records group consists solely of postcards created by the commission as a public engagement initiative utilized in grade school classrooms, at Delaware 250 tabling efforts held during local events like the Dover Heritage Festival, and through activities I have led at the Winterthur Museum through my work as both a graduate student and as the commission’s marketing and engagement intern.
These postcards are designed to encourage reflection and participation; the ‘image’ and ‘message’ sides are merged, comprising one concise, intentionally unfinished statement, “To me, Delaware is…” above a blank space where participants choose what they would like to share, via writing or drawing, about what their home state means to them.
While these postcards feature similar personal inscriptions to those on postcards within the Caley and Pfeiffer collections, the social and material constraints on expression differ. The observations shared on the twentieth-century postcards within the Caley and Pfeiffer collections were not the products of commission members, like myself, guiding participants through an experience that provides instruction, prompts answer formats, and establishes the statewide significance of the entry for the semiquincentennial. While memories form the basis of every “To me, Delaware is…” postcard entry, my explanation of the postcard initiative as an opportunity to share a memory or story presupposes this to an extent.
When engaging with members of the public, I specify that any postcards they complete will be digitized and added to the Delaware Public Archives’ collection for records related to the Semiquincentennial. The institutional weight held by ‘the archive’ and its association with an authorized historicity with such a public history initiative has mixed effects on participants’ entries. Some specify exactly what drew them to the state, such as “...the promise of a lower cost of living with no sales tax, lower property taxes and auto costs…” while others may have felt the need to justify the personal significance they placed on a place or event through a historical lens, with one participant sharing that “a bonus” of their favorite beaches in Lewes was that the town “...has alot of history.” Another directly placed her individual experiences and memories alongside a broader narrative of American history, writing that Delaware “has become my place of quiet reflection, cherished memories, and a wealth of Early American history and pride.” These responses suggest participants’ awareness of their own active negotiation between their knowledge of the archive as an authority, the personal significance they associate with their lived experiences within the state, and the language or visuals they select to communicate a curated response that fits within both the space provided on the postcard and the archives into which they will be added.
