March 26, 2025
A family whose accomplishments changed the course of history remains not only relevant today, but worth memorializing. They lived a life of service to God, our nation and their family, core values that resonate today. There is currently no memorial to John Adams, John Quincy Adams and their family in Washington. Congress authorized the Adams Memorial Commission to fix this oversight. I serve as the chair of the commission. With the 250th Anniversary of our nation barely a year away, now is the time for an Adams Memorial.
Their influence predates the Revolutionary War. John Adams rose to prominence in 1770, when he defended eight British soldiers who were charged with murder after they fired into a group of Bostonians, killing five and wounding six others. As a 34-year-old lawyer, Adams was aware that public sentiment was against him, but he was convinced that everyone had a right to a fair trial. The result was that six of the soldiers were acquitted and two were found guilty of manslaughter.
Adams went on to play pivotal roles during the American Revolution. Without him and his wife, Abigail, who was his closest confidante, we might have never left the British Empire. He emerged as an eloquent advocate for independence. He served in the First and Second Continental Congresses – the legislative bodies that represented the colonies and the United States during the Revolutionary War – and nominated George Washington to serve as commander in chief.