Below is the rationale for touring the American Flag and Liberty Bell.

The American Flag is our Nation’s most revered symbol.

From the time small children learn to walk, they often take part in parades for Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and other patriotic celebrations by either marching or watching and waving miniature American Flags.

When they start school, they learn about Betsy Ross sewing the first American Flag for George Washington in 1776. At an early age, they learn to recite the Pledge of Allegiance while facing our Flag with hands over their hearts.

The Flag can be seen throughout America’s history, as in the painting of George Washington crossing the Delaware River, and heard memorialized in the “Star Spangled Banner,” written by Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812 at Ft. McHenry. The “Star Spangled Banner” is now America’s National Anthem and is heard at the start of national sporting events and ceremonies.  

Emblazoned in our collective memories are the images of the American Flag being raised at Iwo Jima, the 1980 American Olympic Hockey Team skating around the rink with the American Flag after beating the Russians and winning the Gold Medal and, of course, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, proudly planting the American Flag on the moon.

The American Flag is everywhere. It is not only part of the fabric of our Nation, but a growing symbol, with a star to represent each state, as our country grew from the original 13 colonies to 50 states.

The American Flag is this country’s most beloved symbol with an overwhelming majority of Americans considering it the most important symbol of our Nation.

Now, for the first time, the American Flag will be honored in a national event, America’s Liberty Run.

This event will not only capture the imaginations of all Americans, but it will also ignite and instill the pride and spirit of patriotism in all Americans.

A few leading American corporations will be asked to become Founding Sponsors to present this historic event, bringing America together to renew our pride and patriotism, and to remind all Americans of the positive values of our country.

The Liberty Bell, after the American flag, is the most well known, revered symbol in our Nation. It stands for liberty and freedom. There is not a single person of any age from grade school on that is not familiar with the Liberty Bell.

The Liberty Bell was cast by Whitechapel Foundry in London in 1752. It was then shipped to Philadelphia where it was hung in what we now call Independence Hall. It is the very Bell that rang out on July 8, 1776, the day of the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence by Colonel John Nixon.

Today, the Bell sits in its own building near Independence Hall in a protected encasement visible to its approximate million annual visitors from around the world who are able to see it, but only from a distance.

The last time it was rung was on July 4, 1976 by President Gerald Ford to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the birth of America.

Now, Whitechapel Foundry, the original foundry that cast the Liberty Bell whose doors opened for business 437 years ago in 1570, has agreed to re-cast an authentic Liberty Bell to be used to celebrate liberty and participate in the 2008 America’s Liberty Tour™, the Crossing of America.

The goal is to have the Liberty Bell delivered to America to ring in the 2008 New Year and begin its tour across America.

The first segment of the tour will bring the Liberty Bell to Westpoint, Army Academy, Annapolis Naval Academy and other major Air Force, Army, Marine and Naval military bases across America. The tour will let both those in uniform, who are not deployed, and the families of members of our Armed Forces, many of whom have a loved one deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world, to see, touch and hear the Liberty Bell and to share the symbolism and meaning of this great symbol.

The Liberty Bell, accompanied by another one of America’s greatest symbols, the American flag, will travel across America together during the historic America’s Liberty Tour™. Visitors to the tour, throughout the country, will be able to see the Liberty Bell, touch it and hear it ring out liberty as it travels from sea to shining sea. The 2008 America’s Liberty Tour will visit more than 22 states and travel more the 5,100 miles and arrive in Washington, D.C.