The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence - Classic Text | Alexandria
The purported proclamation of independence issued by citizens of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, on May 20, 1775, stands as one of American history's most intriguing and contested documents. According to tradition, this declaration preceded Jefferson's more famous document by more than a year, though its authenticity remains a subject of scholarly debate that has persisted for over two centuries.
The earliest known written reference to the Mecklenburg Declaration appeared in 1819, when the Raleigh Register published a reconstructed version of the alleged document, claiming the original had been destroyed in a fire. This publication triggered immediate controversy, with Thomas Jefferson himself expressing skepticism about its authenticity in correspondence with John Adams. The supposed declaration emerged during a period of growing nationalism and regional pride in the early American republic, when many communities sought to establish their revolutionary credentials.
The document's narrative claims that local patriots, led by Colonel Thomas Polk, gathered at the courthouse in Charlotte to respond to news of the Battles of Lexington and Concord. There, they reportedly crafted and signed a declaration denouncing all British authority and establishing independent governance for Mecklenburg County. While no contemporary records from 1775 mention such a dramatic declaration, a well-documented set of resolves was indeed passed in the county on May 31, 1775, establishing local governmental structures in response to the colonial crisis.
Today, the Mecklenburg Declaration remains deeply embedded in North Carolina's cultural identity, with May 20 celebrated as "Meck Dec Day" and the date proudly displayed on the state flag. While most historians regard the declaration as a retrospective creation or conflation with the authentic May 31 resolves, its persistence in public memory illustrates how communities craft and preserve their revolutionary heritage. The ongoing discourse surrounding the "Meck Dec" raises fascinating questions about historical memory, documentary evidence, and the complex relationship between local and national narratives in early American history.