Melbourne Liberty Bell Museum

This record, Proudly They Came… To Honor America, is a recording of the events of July 4, 1970 – a day of celebration and remembrance that would lead to the founding of Honor America, Inc. and the Melbourne Liberty Bell Museum.

Honor America Day

In 1970, the United States was thoroughly divided, both politically and socially. Just two years after a turbulent and contentious presidential election and struggling with issues such as race relations and the Vietnam War, the United States needed something to come together. This was the opinion of J. Willard Marriott, Billy Graham, and Bob Hope – the three chairmen of the Honor America Day Committee.

To be held on July 4, 1970, the Honor America Day in Washington D.C. was planned as a nonpolitical and nonpartisan event to celebrate and show respect for the United States. Invitations were sent out to prominent musicians and performers, and endorsements were sought from important political figures. Ultimately, former presidents Harry Truman and Lyndon Johnson, as well as the chairmen of the Democratic and Republican National Committees, the director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and former vice-president Hubert Humphrey supported the event.

However, as many of the organizers were known friends and supporters of President Nixon, the event immediately became seen as political and, by some, pro-war. Some performers declined due to the perceived political nature of the event.

On July 4, 1970, nearly 400,000 people gathered at the National Mall for the event. The day started off with a religious service at the Lincoln Memorial led by Billy Graham and containing remarks from various religious leaders. It was at this point that protestors disrupted proceedings. Hippies waded through the Reflecting Pool, chanted, and waved Viet Cong flags. A “smoke-in” in favor of legalized marijuana occurred not too far away. The religious service concluded with a fireworks demonstration, during which both attendees and protestors cheered. A procession of American flags followed.

Later in the day, as the entertainment was set to begin by the Washington Monument, tear gas was fired at protestors, a truck was driven into the reflecting pool, and concession stands were raided. Comedian Bob Hope joked “It looks like Vietnam, doesn’t it?” The festivities continued, nonetheless.

The hosting of Honor America Day inspired several prominent men to found a national organization dedicated to instilling patriotism and a respect for the United States. This organization was fittingly called Honor America, and chapters sprung up across the country.

Currently, the Melbourne chapter that runs the Liberty Bell Memorial Museum is the only one remaining.

Melbourne Honor America and the Liberty Bell Museum

By 1974, Melbourne businessmen had organized a chapter of Honor America in Melbourne, and began meeting at the old Ruth Henegar Center. In 1976, the White Chapel Bell Foundry in London, the factory that made the original Liberty Bell, made full-size replicas of the Liberty Bell to celebrate the bicentennial. The Melbourne chapter sought to get one of the bells and challenged local schoolchildren to bring in money to purchase it. On May 4, 1976, the Chamber of Commerce, Board of Realtors, and Honor America held a telethon to raise money for the bell. In total, $20,000 was raised, bringing the bell to Melbourne.

However, for the first decade that the bell was in Melbourne, it had no home, and was stored in a garage to be taken out for parades. At one parade, the trailer it was on jackknifed, causing the bell to fall and get a dent (that you can still see today). In 1985, there was a groundbreaking ceremony for the proposed Liberty Bell Tower and Museum – a project that was never completed. Instead, the museum was established in the old Melbourne water tank, on the site of the proposed tower. The museum operated out of just the water tank until 2005, when Freedom Hall was completed. While it has faced challenges over the last 40 years, the museum is still proud to continue the original mission of Honor America – to instill patriotism and respect for our nation.