Fort Smith church to host Freedom Truck after history museum cancellation
A Freedom Truck, one of six created by the Freedom 250 group, has found a new site for a Fort Smith stop after being booked and then cancelled by the Fort Smith Museum of History. The new location is at the Victory Church in south Fort Smith.
Rep. Ryan Rose, R-Van Buren, and lead pastor at Victory Church, announced Monday (June 29) that a Freedom Truck will be at the church between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., on July 10, 11, and 12. The church is located at 3912 Brooken Hill Drive in Fort Smith.
The “mobile museum” is housed in the trailer of a renovated 18-wheeler includes interactive exhibits touted as being designed for all ages. According to Freedom 250, the exhibit in each truck “features museum-quality interactive technology, multimedia storytelling, and hands-on experiences that highlight America’s founding and defining chapters, as well as the innovation that continues to shape our nation’s future.”
Rose said the church reached out to the Freedom 250 group after a truck visit was cancelled by the history museum. He said confirmation of the truck’s visit to the church arrived Monday morning, but they were working on visit details over the weekend. He said they have may have a few truck sponsorships, but “this is primarily (a) Freedom 250 Truck event hosted by Victory Church.”
“America’s 250th anniversary is a sacred moment to reflect on the blessings of freedom and the extraordinary story of courage and sacrifice that built our nation,” Rose said in a statement. “We are honored to welcome the Freedom 250 Truck to Victory Church in Fort Smith, ensuring that children, families, and all Americans across the River Valley have the opportunity to experience this powerful, interactive exhibit right here in our own community. By bringing this White House initiative directly to our region, we are helping the next generation connect with the timeless values of liberty and faith, including our God-given rights and our identity as one nation under God. that continue to guide our country forward.”
Caroline Spier, executive director of the Fort Smith Museum of History, told Talk Business & Politics on June 24 that the decision was made to cancel the event after learning the truck was not part of the America250 organization. That group is the official nonpartisan group established by Congress to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Freedom 250 is a group sanctioned by the Trump Administration. It has faced questions regarding a lack of transparency around funding and spending. Freedom 250 spent at least $10 million to create the six Freedom Trucks, and the mobile history exhibits were created in partnership with Hillsdale College, a private conservative Christian school, and PragerU, a conservative media organization.