In honor of America's 250th Birthday, the "Signing the Promise" Nationwide Initiative Brings a First-of-Its Kind Augmented Reality Civic Experience to Every Part of the Country

WASHINGTON, May 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Two hundred and fifty years ago, fifty-six people put their names to a document that changed the world. On July 4, 2026, the United States turns 250, and 51 Steps to Freedom is inviting every American to be part of what comes next. "Signing the Promise" launches nationwide today: a first-of-its-kind civic experience that invites everyone throughout the world to symbolically add their names to the Declaration of Independence as a shared act of commitment to the country's founding ideals. Through immersive augmented reality, original music, and storytelling, participants don't just encounter history - they step inside it, and carry it forward.

"The Declaration of Independence was not written as a monument to the past — it was written as a promise for the future," said H.H. Leonards, Co-Founder of 51 Steps to Freedom. "As America marks 250 years, Signing the Promise invites people to reflect on what those ideals mean today and the role each of us plays in carrying them forward. History becomes most powerful when people see themselves inside it. This is an opportunity to participate in something larger than ourselves and to reaffirm, together, the shared responsibility of shaping what comes next."

Originally rooted in a place-based augmented reality experience in Washington, D.C., 51 Steps to Freedom is expanding across the country, bringing the power of that physical encounter with history to anyone, anywhere, through a digital browser experience designed for the nation's semiquincentennial. By signing the promise, participants begin their journey on the 51 Steps to Freedom trail ultimately leading to Washington, D.C., where the full experience unfolds.

"Sign the Promise" makes history:

• Accessible — reaching people far beyond any single location, around the globe
• Immediate — connecting the stories of the past directly to the present moment
• Participatory — giving every individual a tangible role in a shared national milestone

Anyone globally can access the experience, engage with augmented reality-powered storytelling tied to defining moments of freedom and progress, and digitally add their name to the Declaration as part of a nationwide act of participation. The goal: 250,000 signatures - a living testament, growing in real time, to the enduring promise at the heart of the American story.

The nationwide expansion is designed to scale across communities—including schools, cultural institutions, faith organizations, stadiums, and American military bases around the world—creating a shared experience that transcends geography and background.

This isn't just about learning history. It's about what people choose to do with it. By making immersive storytelling accessible on a national scale, 51 Steps to Freedom shifts history from something people observe to something they personally connect with — and from that connection comes action. Rooted in the power of collective progress, the initiative transforms individual participation into a shared movement: one name, one step, one promise at a time.

To date, 51 Steps to Freedom has partnered with the Miss America Organization, Sail4th 250, Giant Food, National Endowment for the Humanities, EventsDC, DestinationDC, DC Arts & Humanities, Sail 250® New Orleans, O Museum in the Mansion, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, Girl Scouts Nation's Capital, America 250, and Freedom 250.

A step for every voice. A step for every community. A step forward, together. Sign the Promise and learn more at www.51StepsToFreedom.org.

About 51 Steps to Freedom

51 Steps to Freedom (50 states, one nation) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to creating the world's largest outdoor museum focused on American history, civic engagement, and storytelling. Through augmented reality, music, animation, and immersive storytelling experiences, the initiative brings historic moments, places, and individuals to life in ways that are interactive, emotional, and deeply personal — while teaching life lessons centered on opportunity, responsibility, and the enduring promise of freedom. Anchored in Washington, DC, 51 Steps to Freedom invites participants to connect past and present through meaningful, technology-driven experiences across the nation's capital. Additional activations, including Signing the Promise, provide opportunities for civic engagement and reflection inspired by the enduring ideals of the Declaration of Independence. Together, these experiences move beyond learning history to encourage thoughtful participation in the continuing American story.

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SOURCE 51 Steps to Freedom