John Adams | Jon Image: Cliff via Flickr CC.
The Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial are cherished national landmarks commemorating two accomplished American presidents. Each provides a destination where visitors are encouraged to pay their respects and discover the contributions each man made to secure our nation’s birth.
However, it would be wrong to see the story of our nation’s founding as complete in these monuments. They tell only part of our story and currently frame an absence on Washington, DC’s Mall. It’s an absence in our historic memory and will only be made complete with the construction and dedication of The Adams Memorial.
John Adams was born in 1735 in Braintree, MA, now Quincy, and grew up on a small farm, the son of a local minister. He showed promise as boy and at 15 was admitted to Harvard. He graduated in 1755 and became a lawyer in 1758. Adams married his wife Abigail in 1764. Her intelligence allowed her husband to pursue a political career.
Attending both the first and second Continental Congresses, Adams’s passionate support for the colonies’ cause led to the vote taken on July 2, 1776, which led to a declaration of independence from Britain on July 4th. He used his diplomatic skills in Europe to raise funds for the revolution and build support throughout Europe for the young nation. As president he resisted calls the go to war against France and instead strengthened our fledgling navy. His choice to go against popular opinion cost him a second term as president and is evidence of his wisdom and political skill.
Adams suspected that he might be overlooked by history, which often chooses to honor generals and eloquent statesmen. “Monuments will never be erected to me . . . romances will never be written, nor flattering orations spoken, to transmit me to posterity in brilliant colors,” he wrote in 1819, nearly two decades after his single term in office.
Experienced leaders in finance and business like David Topper, General Atlantic operating partner, and Easterly Capital’s Darrell Crate support The Adams Memorial Foundation in the completion of its mission. Members of this leadership team share a deep appreciation for the contributions made by John Adams and his family to our history and a desire to create a lasting tribute to his contributions and those of his descendants. The establishment of The Adams Memorial in Washington, DC is the most honorable way to celebrate John Adams, his family, and a legacy of public service that spanned generations.
