On June 15, 1215, a coali-
tion of disgruntled barons
met King John at Run-
nymede, a wetland mead-
ow along the Thames River
near London. Under the
threat of civil war, the King
applied his royal seal to
their list of demands—a
document that would be-
come known as Magna Car-
ta, the "Great Charter."
Magna Carta—often called
the greatest constitutional
document of all time and
the very foundation of freedom—is the point of origin for many
constitutional principles that are fundamental to the United States
Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution of the Com-
monwealth of Kentucky.
To commemorate the 800th anniversary of
Magna Carta, the Kentucky State Fair Board
is hosting
"Magna Carta: Enduring Legacy 1215-
2015,
" a traveling exhibition developed by
the American Bar Association and curated by
the Law Library of Congress. The exhibition
features 16 storyboard panels and a video of
the Law Librarian of Congress and the Rare
Books Curator handling and discussing
original charter artifacts. The State Fair is the
only Kentucky stop on the exhibition's
national tour.
Funding for "Magna Carta: Enduring Lega-
cy" in Kentucky is provided by the Louisville
Bar Association and the Kentucky Bar Associ-
ation (Small Firm Section and Young Lawyers
Division). Attorneys from across the state will
serve as volunteer docents in the exhibition,
helping visitors have a fun and engaging ex-
perience.
The Magna Carta exhibits will be adjacent to
an original exhibition about Kentucky's Con-
stitution, in South Wing B. The state-focused
project was inspired by the Magna Carta an-
niversary and will carry the ancient docu-
ment's principles forward, to our constitution-
al government today. "From the 'Powers That
Be' to the Power of WE: Exploring Our Con-
stitution" features storyboard panels, arti-
facts, and interactive media.
In addition, an entertaining 30-minute musical production, "The
Great Charters of Liberty," will bring the stories of these great char-
ters, from Magna Carta to Kentucky's Constitution, to life each day
of the Fair. The Kentucky components are funded in part by the
Kentucky Bar Association (Family Law, Business Law, Health Care
Law, and Public Interest Law Sections) and by a grant awarded by
the Kentucky Bar Foundation.
Kentucky lawyers interested in serving as docents in the Magna
Carta commemoration and adjacent Kentucky Constitution exhibi-
tion at the State Fair should contact Stephanie Seber at (502) 367-
5496 or at SSeber@ksfb.ky.gov.E Attorneys may also contact Shan-
non Roberts with the Kentucky Bar Association at (502) 564-3795
ext. 224 or sroberts@kybar.org. Sponsorship funds will cover the
Fair admission and parking fees of volunteer docents, and train-
ing/orientation will be offered. E
The Kentucky State Fair is August 20-30 at the Kentucky Exposition
Center. For more information, go to www.kystatefair.org.
45
B&B; • 7.15
B A R N E W S
MAGNA CARTA'S 800TH ANNIVERSARY
TO BE COMMEMORATED AT THE
KENTUCKY STATE FAIR
By: Stephanie Seber