As we approach the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, America 250 NC invites all North Carolinians to take part in a powerful national moment of reflection and unity: “Two Lights for Tomorrow.” Communities across the United States will join together April 18, 2025, to honor the spirit of cooperation and courage that helped ignite the American Revolution.
On the night of April 18, 1775, Paul Revere and William Dawes rode out from Boston to alert their fellow patriots of the movement of the British regulars. A prearranged signal—two lanterns in the tower of Christ Church—warned that the British troops were traveling via the Charles River. Other riders joined Revere and Dawes, creating a network across the Massachusetts countryside. These midnight rides preceded the battles at Lexington and Concord, the start of the American Revolution.
Two hundred and fifty years later, “Two Lights for Tomorrow” commemorates Revere’s famous ride and uses the imagery of two shining lights to honor the beginning of the American Revolution.
Overnight on Friday, April 18, 2025, two lights will shine forth from statehouses across the nation, including North Carolina’s State Capitol in Raleigh. Communities across North Carolina have been invited to participate by shining two lights on their own significant buildings.
The nationwide initiative is part of the upcoming America 250 semiquincentennial observance in 2026. In North Carolina, the event is led by the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources’ America 250 NC initiative.
For more information, please visit https://www.america250.nc.gov/events/two-lights-tomorrow.
About America 250 NC
America 250 NC is North Carolina’s commemoration of the United States’ 250th anniversary and is led by the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. For more information about America 250 NC, visit america250.nc.gov.