As we approach the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, America 250 NC invites all North Carolinians to participate in a powerful national moment of reflection and unity: "Two Lights for Tomorrow." Communities across the United States will unite this Friday, 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. North Carolina residents are encouraged to display two lights in their homes as well.

Participants in the campaign include the Battleship North Carolina, Museum of the Albemarle, N.C. Transportation Museum, Historic Bethabara Park, Historic Halifax, Historic Camden County Courthouse, Eastern Cabarrus Historical Society in Mt. Pleasant and House in the Horseshoe State Historic Site. Communities across the state, including New Bern, Topsail Beach, Waxahaw, Pinehurst, Harrells, Roanoke Rapids, High Shoals, Currituck County, Camden County and McDowell County are participating with proclamations and events. Local chapters of the Sons of the American Revolution and Daughters of the American Revolution are also participating, along with many other organizations and individuals.

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.

About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina - its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.