Mayor marks 250th Independence Day with call to uphold founding ideals

The mayor of Green Bay delivered a ceremonial Independence Day address on July 4, 2026, marking the 250th anniversary of the United States and urging listeners to keep working toward the nation’s founding ideals.

In the speech, the mayor said the country was founded "to secure the rights endowed by our creator: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," and called the Declaration of Independence a continuing inspiration for the republic. "They meant to set up a standard maxim for free society," the mayor quoted Abraham Lincoln as saying, and urged the audience to "labor for the country of our ideals."

The mayor acknowledged historical exclusions at the founding, saying that a "blind eye was turned toward enslaved people," that "women couldn't participate in our democracy," and that property ownership often restricted voting even for white men. The remarks described those exclusions as "original sins" and emphasized that movements for abolition, suffrage and civil rights have gradually expanded political participation.

Addressing the messy nature of politics, the mayor said "politics is a rough and tumble business" and that self-government is "imperfect" but worth the effort, paraphrasing Thomas Paine that these are "times that try our souls." The remarks stressed continuity: while the Union has "changed and evolved," the speaker said citizens and activists have "united" to keep the republic intact.

The mayor closed by thanking attendees for joining the celebration and offering holiday wishes. "I'm so fortunate to be your mayor on this occasion, and I wish you all ... a very happy Independence Day. Happy 4th of July," the mayor said.

No formal actions, motions, or votes were recorded during the remarks; the address was ceremonial and intended as a civic observance.