Meck Dec 250: Myth, Memory and Meaning

Two hundred and fifty years ago, North Carolina was the first colony to call for independence.  Our state flag commemorates this call with two dates:  one for the Halifax Resolves (April 17, 1776) and the other for the Mecklenburg Declaration (May 20, 1775).  Though many today consider it apocryphal, the Mecklenburg Declaration has affected how North Carolinians view themselves and their history.  Dan Gibson will explain the history and continued significance of the Mecklenburg Declaration.

Dan Gibson is an appellate attorney at Davis Hartman Wright.  He regularly argues at North Carolina’s Court of Appeals and Supreme Court, and has filed amicus briefs for a variety of organizations, including the John Locke Foundation.  In addition to practicing law, Gibson serves as an adjunct professor at Wake Forest University School of Law, where he teaches North Carolina Constitutional Law among other classes.  He is a 2019 Fellow of the E.A. Morris Fellowship for emerging leaders.  He lives with his wife, Lindsey, and two daughter in Durham.