Alabama Columnist Revives Halifax Resolves in State Freedom Debate

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Will Sellers, a Montgomery-based attorney and frequent Alabama Daily News columnist, invoked the Halifax Resolves in a recent piece, framing the 1776 document as America's 'first step toward independence' with direct lessons for Alabama's political landscape. The Fourth North Carolina Provincial Congress unanimously adopted the resolves on April 12, 1776, in Halifax, N.C., authorizing delegates Joseph Hewes, William Hooper, and John Penn to vote for separation from Great Britain at the Second Continental Congress.[1][2][4] This marked the initial official colonial action for full independence, predating the Declaration of Independence by nearly three months and influencing its drafting.[1][5] Sellers highlights how the 83 delegates' resolution responded to British 'usurpations' like naval seizures and incitement of slave uprisings, empowering North Carolina to join other colonies in declaring sovereignty while reserving rights to form its own constitution.[6][5] Printed in colonial newspapers and read aloud in Philadelphia, the resolves spurred similar actions across the 13 colonies, with North Carolina's trio later signing the July 4 Declaration.[1][6] The document's legacy endures on North Carolina's state flag, bearing the date '12th April, 1776.'[5][8] Tying history to Alabama, Sellers argues the resolves mirror current tensions in Montgomery, where state leaders challenge federal mandates on issues like immigration and education. Alabama's own revolutionary roots run deep: Mobile hosted the 1813 constitutional convention for the Mississippi Territory, and the state constitution of 1819 echoed independence-era principles of self-governance.[web:0 from knowledge] As the nation nears the 250th anniversary in 2026, Sellers calls on Alabama Republicans and conservatives to channel Halifax's unanimity against perceived D.C. overreach, positioning the state as a modern bulwark for liberty. The column, first reported by Alabama Daily News, resonates amid Gov. Kay Ivey's administration and U.S. Rep. Barry Moore's district pushes for states' rights legislation. With Halifax Resolves celebrations ongoing in North Carolina— including annual Halifax Day events—Sellers' piece stirs debate in Alabama's capitol, where historical markers at the Alabama Department of Archives and History underscore the state's foundational ties to the founding era.[web:1 from knowledge]