Presidential Message on the 260th Anniversary of the Formation of the Sons of Liberty
On this day 260 years ago, a small but mighty cohort of American patriots banded together in the streets of Boston, Massachusetts, united by one righteous goal: to resist the mounting persecution of the British Crown and defend their sacred birthright of freedom.
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On this day 260 years ago, a small but mighty cohort of American patriots banded together in the streets of Boston, Massachusetts, united by one righteous goal: to resist the mounting persecution of the British Crown and defend their sacred birthright of freedom.
On August 14, 1765, five months after Great Britain’s imposition of the Stamp Act—which levied taxes on paper, documents, and cards in the Colonies—a legion of Americans now remembered as the “Loyal Nine” burned an effigy of British tax collector Andrew Oliver. This bold act of defiance against the British Crown inspired thousands to rise up in protest, sending an unmistakable message to Great Britain that the colonists would never back down in their fight for freedom.
In the years that followed, The Loyal Nine became known as the “Sons of Liberty,” a coalition of patriotic rebels spanning the 13 colonies, led by Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and Paul Revere. Staging protests, rallies, and boycotts, the Sons of Liberty ignited the flame of independence and set in motion the revolution that gave rise to self-government. Under the iconic battle cry, “No Taxation without Representation,” the unruly rebels transformed the fight for American liberty from an impossible hope into a unifying cause for independence and helping to define what it means to be “American” for the first time.
The growing movement of resistance reached the tipping point on December 16, 1773, when the Sons of Liberty dumped hundreds of chests of British tea into the Boston Harbor. This protest against the unjust taxation on tea—forever known as the Boston Tea Party—struck a powerful blow against the British authority, rallied support for the patriot cause across the colonies, and set the stage for the first shots of the Revolutionary War fired at Lexington and Concord less than two years later.
Today, 260 years after the formation of the Sons of Liberty, their righteous mission, daring courage, and unwavering devotion to freedom remains the proud inheritance of every American citizen. As my Administration continues to usher in the Golden Age of America, we remember the sacrifices they made, the victories they won, and the noble cause that inspired them.