The “First in Freedom” Plate

 

North Carolina native Charles Robinson, a license plate collector and historian, designed the “First in Freedom” plate, which recognizes two important events: the signing of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence on May 20, 1775, and the Halifax Resolves on April 12, 1776. These two events are also commemorated on the North Carolina state flag and are regarded as the first steps toward independence from Great Britain during the early stages of the American Revolution.