07/03/2026
Happy 250th Birthday, America!
Two hundred fifty years ago, ordinary Americans made the extraordinary decision to stand against the most powerful empire in the world. They risked their lives, their property, and their reputations for the belief that freedom was worth defending.
Randolph's Fourth of July theme this year is "Freedom for All." It made me reflect on what that has meant throughout my own family's history.
I've never served in the military, but beginning with my father and my sister, and reaching back to the Revolutionary War, there has been a tradition in the Lincoln family of serving something greater than ourselves.
My 6th great-grandfather, Sgt. David Lincoln, left his work as a weaver and his responsibilities as Hingham's town constable to serve in the Massachusetts militia defending Boston Harbor in 1776 and 1777. Our family still has a Revolutionary War musket that has been passed down for nearly 250 years. We're still trying to determine which ancestor carried it.
My 3rd great-grandfather, Jairus Lincoln, played an active role in the abolition movement before the Civil War. His son, Henry Ware Lincoln, my 2nd great-grandfather, served on Boston's Vigilance Committee, helping freedom seekers escape slavery after the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and was involved in the Underground Railroad.
Every generation is presented with different challenges. Most of us won't be asked to fight a revolution or confront slavery. But every generation is asked a different question:
Will we simply enjoy the benefits of freedom, or will we contribute something that helps protect, improve, and strengthen it for those who come after us?
Service takes many forms. It may be military service, public office, volunteer work, building a business that creates opportunity, raising a family with strong values, helping a neighbor, or simply having the courage to stand up for what is right. A healthy republic depends on citizens who are willing to do more than criticize—it depends on people who are willing to contribute.
As we celebrate America's 250th birthday, I'm grateful for those in my own family who answered that call in their time, and for the countless Americans who continue to do so today.
Happy Independence Day—and here's to another 250 years of freedom for all.
