Historic Documents from the Founding Era Head to Van Nuys on the ‘Freedom Plane’

Rare Founding-Era U.S. Documents to Arrive in Van Nuys on “Freedom Plane”

A collection of rare documents from the founding era of the United States is set to arrive in Van Nuys on Monday, as part of a nationwide exhibition celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary. The documents will be flown into Van Nuys Airport, where a welcoming ceremony is planned for shortly before noon.

The event will feature a ceremonial water cannon salute, musical performances, and the transfer of the documents from the aircraft, according to organizers.

Following their arrival, the exhibition, organized by the National Archives, will be on display at the USC Fisher Museum of Art from Friday until May 3, with free admission available through advance ticketing.

“These founding documents will offer members of our community—both at USC and throughout the region—an opportunity to reflect on the enduring principles underlying our constitutional democracy,” stated USC President Beong-Soo Kim earlier this year.

The exhibition will feature several significant historical documents, including:

• Articles of Association (1774): An agreement adopted by the First Continental Congress urging American colonists to boycott British goods.
• Oaths of Allegiance (1778): Signed by Continental Army officers, including George Washington and Alexander Hamilton, during the Revolutionary War.
• William Stone engraving of the Declaration of Independence (1823): One of about 50 official reproductions commissioned by John Quincy Adams to preserve the original text and signatures.
• Treaty of Paris (1783): Signed by American and British representatives, formally recognizing the United States as an independent nation.
• Draft version of the U.S. Constitution (1787): Known as the "secret printing," featuring handwritten notes from delegates at the Constitutional Convention.
• State delegation votes approving the Constitution (1787): Documenting the debates and final decisions that led to the adoption of the governing framework.
• Senate markup of the Bill of Rights: Reflecting early revisions and deliberations over the first ten amendments to the Constitution.

“Americans across the country can bear witness to the people and principles that shaped our nation through the Freedom Plane National Tour,” said Jim Byron, senior adviser to the Archivist of the United States. “There is no more noteworthy an occasion than America’s 250th ‘birthday’ to share this history and inspire our fellow Americans to champion our nation’s founding ideals into the future.”

The exhibition is part of an eight-city national tour that began in Kansas City and will continue to cities including Houston, Denver, Miami, and Seattle.