Bicentennial Ceremony to Honor Commodore Stephen Decatur - Naval Hero from the War of 1812

Mar 02, 2020 Philadelphia, PA —

The White House Historical Association will host a live reading and wreath-laying honoring naval war hero Commodore Stephen Decatur on March 22^nd, the 200^th anniversary of Decatur’s death. Decatur is buried at St. Peter’s Church.

The live reading will feature the written correspondence between Decatur and Commodore James Barron that resulted in the fatal duel which took Decatur’s life. Correspondence will be read by Navy Lieutenants Hans Lauzen and Andrew Keene, with narration from Fox News correspondent David Spunt. The program will open with remarks by Stewart McLaurin, President of the White House Historical Association, and Reverend Claire Nevin-Field of St. Peter’s Church.

After the program, a wreath-laying ceremony will take place at Commodore Decatur’s gravesite located at St. Peter’s Church.

Decatur earned fame through an illustrious naval career which included the capture of the British warship HMS Macedonian during the War of 1812. Decatur later moved to Washington, D.C. to pursue a career in public service, building the first private home in the President’s Neighborhood in 1818-1819.

Today, the offices of the White House Historical Association’s David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History are housed in the Decatur House, which is a property of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. More than twenty years after his death, a committee lobbied for Decatur’s remains to be relocated to his home city of Philadelphia, near the tomb of his parents.

WHEN: Sunday, March 22, 2020; 4 – 5:30pm

WHERE: St. Peters Church, Third and Pine Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19106

WHAT: Live reading and wreath-laying ceremony to honor Commodore Decatur, naval hero from War of 1812

If you are interested in covering this event as a member of the press, contact Jessica Fredericks, Director of Communications, at JFredericks@whha.org or press@whha.org.