On the National Mall, in the heart of Washington, D.C., Americans expressed their pride, concern and hopes for the country as it turns 250 years old.
Nowhere does America celebrate itself more than on the National Mall, a narrow swath of green space bounded by monuments, memorials and museums that stretches from the U.S. Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial.
Also known as “America’s Front Yard” it is the destination for visitors from all over the country who want to experience and explore the myriad ways the nation tells its story.
As the United States prepared to celebrate its 250th birthday, The Washington Post talked with dozens of Americans on the Mall to find out how they are feeling about this moment. We asked them what they thought made America great, what made them proud of their country and what their hopes are for America’s future.
Here is what 25 of them had to say:
Brody Miller
14, Cleveland, Ohio
“Being American? It’s freedom, speech, my opinion, education and whatever you want to wear, whatever you want to eat, whatever religion you want to be. Just amazing.”
Victoria Kennedy
27, Auburn, Alabama
“I love America. I’m so proud of everything we’ve accomplished. I think that we do a good job of protecting our country and doing what’s right for it. I think it’s important to keep positive relationships with other countries. I think that’s a good thing that Donald Trump has done a great job of doing.”
Jose Arellano
41, Los Angeles, California
“The undocumented folks that produce all of our vegetation, the food that is on our plates at dinner, the fruits and vegetables that we’re able to enjoy, that population as well makes me proud to be here and to be supported by them.”
Leslie Finke
75, Baltimore, Maryland
“I never thought I needed to put any effort into safeguarding democracy. But whoa, we are living through some unique times. And our democracy, I don’t think we can take for granted anymore.”
Taylor Anderson
18, Mayville, North Dakota
“I think that Gen Z, they have great ideas. They are so open to new ideas, new opportunities. They definitely want what’s best for America. And I love seeing that the younger generation wants to be so political and so involved in what’s going on. ”
Beenah Moshay
60, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
“The ideals of the Founding Fathers for freedom for everyone, even though everyone wasn’t originally included, but that’s the ideal. Until recently I wouldn’t have thought that I was a true patriot or American. I was just a person, a citizen of the world. But lately it’s just hit home to me that I really believe those ideals. So if anyone’s a true American or a true patriot, I am she.”
Abhay Katoch
22, Washington, D.C.
“Being the shining city upon the hill, as the Puritans put it, that will probably never come to pass because it’s almost unobtainable. But at the same time it also sets a goal for us to work towards.”
Brenda Sue Lock
68, Polk County, Florida
“I’m proud to be an American because I have freedom of religion. I like my guns so I like the Constitution. … I’m grateful to be free in America to do as I need to do and speak as I need to.”
Jason Arceo
41, Las Vegas, Nevada
“We always pull through. We’re Americans and we’ll always find a way. … So long as you keep your head down and keep moving and keep working, that’s the American way.”
Kyle Williams
54, Washington, D.C.
“I’m proud that we’re still here fighting the good fight. I’m proud that we are at least in a generation right now where people are able to talk about the realness of America. What’s great about it, what’s not so great about it. So I’m proud that we can have a conversation as a community.”
Tony Thoma
28, Shawnee, Oklahoma
“No other nation comes close to even being as free, as God-given as we are in the entire world. I just pray every day that we continue to find God. I believe that there’s a lot of God that has been lost out of this country.”
Alan Lin
19, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
“My parents came to America and immigrated here and they struggled a lot, right? They worked very hard to be able to have their child one day be able to pursue education. … America had a place for my parents, has a place for me and I hope to develop that and maybe give back to the nation one day.”
Jim Fitton
69, St. Petersburg, Florida
“What made America great was the fact that everybody took care of everybody. I see a lot less and less of it. It’s more politics and less taking care of doing the right thing.”
Hannah Taylor
17, Manchester, Iowa
“Being able to go after what I’ve been going after, especially with me wanting to pursue military academies. … Just knowing that I can do that because not everybody in other countries is able to do that, especially as a woman.”
Don Tint
38, Fairfax, Virginia
“My parents are immigrants so that makes me really proud. … I wasn’t born in this country but I came when I was about a year old. … I’ve seen other countries and I’ve seen the way it is in other countries, so it really means a lot that my parents immigrated to this country.”
Adewale Maye
29, Washington, D.C.
“My hopes for this country is that it can get its act together. I think that’s the biggest thing. I feel like we have definitely taken plenty of steps backwards, specifically over the past year or so. And I hope that we can get back on track.”
Kiarra Young
13, Corsicana, Texas
“I feel like the people when we come together, and how we can really connect and put all of our cultures together, we can be accepted pretty well.”
Linda Lan
65, Scituate, Massachusetts
“[I’m] proud that the country has certainly lasted this long under its principles. But those principles are coming into question all the time. And it has come to the time that even ordinary citizens have to take a look, take stock and speak.”
Maria Carmen Cruz
64, Jacksonville, Florida
“I’m a veteran. I served in the United States Army. … So I believe in providing my service to the freedom that we’re entitled to. … Especially as a female, we get a whole lot more freedoms than other countries give to other ladies.”
Zundra Gleaton
40, Upper Marlboro, Maryland
“Honestly it’s getting harder. Nothing seems to be coming out the way it should or happening the way it should. … God is first in my life. And when God is first. And whenever God is first, no matter where you are, American or anywhere else, you’ll be fine, you’ll make it.”
Roma Shah
41, Seattle, Washington
“I think the freedom to be able to dream. When I think about what my parents have been through and what my generation and what my kids’ generations are going to go through is there’s not as much predetermination in terms of socioeconomics, education. There’s a freedom to dream.”
Joe Hamm
47, Hamilton, Alabama
“I’m proud because this has traditionally been a land where there’s opportunity for people to come here to explore their freedom, to follow their dreams, to carve out a life for themselves. And so I’m proud of the traditional values that we’ve held as a country since our founding.”
Kelise Stewart
21, Laurel, Maryland
“I feel like a lot of people see an issue with how diverse America is, but I feel like that’s one of the good things about it. … I like America enough to want to stay here but I really, really wish our politicians, and sorry but our president was a lot less racist.”
Emily Jolly
44, Austin, Texas
“My hopes for the country going forward are that we take stock of ourselves as a nation and assess if this is really the direction that we think we should be going. We’ve been better and we can be better than what we’re doing today.”
Sarah Johnson
54, Lakeville, Minnesota
“I have three simple principles that I give to my almost adult children: graduate from high school, don’t get arrested and don’t start a family until you’re ready, and I think you can be successful. I mean, you can achieve just about anything here.”