This new display at the Capitol Park Museum celebrates America’s founding documents

Located on the grounds of the Capitol Park Museum and across from the State Library of Louisiana, the Charters of Freedom setting sits facing the Capitol building. 

The Charters of Freedom is a new setting featuring full-size replicas of America’s founding documents, including the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights and Civil Rights amendments. This display, unveiled on Sept. 19, serves as a tribute to the ideals and principles the U.S. was founded on. 

“It will serve as a powerful reminder that the freedoms we enjoy today are rooted in the principles set forth in our nation’s founding documents,” Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser says. “Placing the Charters of Freedom outside Capitol Park Museum creates a permanent destination where students, families and visitors can connect with the ideals that shaped America while exploring Louisiana’s unique role in our nation’s history.”

The document replicas are etched into metal plaques and set into marble displays modeled after the National Archives in Washington, D.C. The Capitol Park Museum display is the first in Louisiana and the 83rd in the nation. 

The Charters of Freedom installations began with Vance and Mary Jo Patterson, founders of educational nonprofit Foundation Forward, Inc. In 2011, the Pattersons took a trip to the National Archives in D.C. and saw America’s founding documents for the first time. Vance and Mary Jo were so moved by the experience that they were inspired to share that experience with communities across the country. 

“They thought every child should be able to see those documents and what this country stands for,” says Nungesser. “So they decided they were going to pay for a replica, one in every state, full size in bronze under bulletproof glass, lit up in marble.”

Though Baton Rouge is home to Louisiana’s first Charters of Freedom setting, Nungesser hopes to bring the display to cities across the state. To raise enough money for these additional settings, the Capitol Park Museum is selling plaques that will be installed next to the setting. More information about the donation tiers and custom plaques can be found at the Charters of Freedom website.

Once enough money is raised, Nungesser says he is hoping to expand Charters of Freedom to Lafayette, and later to New Orleans.

The installation has been over a year in the making, but Nungesser says the timing couldn’t have been more perfect.

“It’s a perfect year to do it,” he says. “Those are the documents that shaped our nation, so it just makes sense that we try to, and we did, get it done this year during the [America] 250 celebration.”

The goal of the Charters of Freedom setting is not only to give people the chance to experience the documents for themselves, but also to educate the next generation on the history of the U.S. 

Though Nungesser and his team are still working out the details, he says that they plan on having children from across Louisiana write about where they see the country in 250 years. The plan is to put these predictions in the base of the Charters of Freedom display and open them again on Sept. 17, 2087, for the 300th anniversary of when the U.S. Constitution was signed.

“It makes you proud to be American when you read those documents and know what they went through to develop those,” he says. “So hopefully, it’ll have the same impact on other kids and Louisianans.”

Most of all, Nungesser hopes that the display inspires unity among visitors and serves as a reminder that Americans are better together than apart.

“I hope these documents make people realize that to move this country forward, we’ve got to come together and work as a team to protect our country, our freedom and our way of life,” Nungesser says. “I hope that we can get back to working together as Americans, not as Democrats or as Republicans.”

Because the display is located outside, Nungesser says residents are welcome to visit the setting at any time. For more information about the Charters of Freedom setting, located on the grounds of the Capitol Park Museum, visit the museum’s website.