The title These Truths is drawn from the preamble of the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…” The work also engages with other pivotal texts in American history—the Constitutional Three-Fifths Compromise of 1787 and Theodore Parker’s assertion, later echoed by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” As we approach the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, These Truths reflects upon our complex history and the ongoing struggle, amid uncertainty and striving, toward a more perfect union.
The quartet unfolds in four movements: 1. These Truths; 2. Three-fifths: “The Beautiful”; 3. March of Crimes “The Circus Comes to Town”; and 4. Towards Justice.
