Mecklenburg County’s own Declaration of Independence? Plus, 'New Americans in North Carolina' oral history project

Due South · May 18, 2026 · 50m

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Mecklenburg County’s own Declaration of Independence?

May 20, 1775, is a date you may recognize from the North Carolina state flag. It represents what was supposedly the first declaration of independence made by any of the 13 colonies involved in the American Revolution. That date was added more than a century ago, but its authenticity was first contested by Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. This conversation originally aired on May 20, 2025.

Scott Syfert, author of ‘The First Declaration of Independence? The Disputed History of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence of May 20…