Who knows the creative and historical ways The 4th of July has been celebrated in our country’s 242 year history? Our land was founded in 1776 on the principles of freedom, and was built with the sweat, blood, courage and resolve of pioneers who knew that a better life could be achieved. Today, we honor the brave men and women who fight overseas for the rights of all mankind, and on July 4th, we celebrate the unique lifestyle we are able to enjoy in the U.S.A. because of the sacrifices of so many.
1788 – In Philadelphia, a “Grand Federal Procession” is the largest parade to date.
1801 – The first public Fourth of July reception at the White House occurs.
1808 – Citizens of Richmond, VA resolve that only liquor produced in the U.S. can be consumed on the 4th of July.
1827 – The State of New York emancipates its slaves.
1876 – Three-day (July 3-5) Centennial celebrations occur throughout the U.S. and abroad.
1884 – The Presentation of the Statue of Liberty takes place in Paris. Miners blow up the Swan City, CO post office because they are not supplied with fireworks.
1912 – The new national flag with 48 stars is “formally endowed.”
1930 – George Washington’s 60-foot face carved on Mount Rushmore is unveiled.
1934 – The very first fireworks display in Antarctica occurs when explorer Richard E. Byrd and his men set off
fire crackers with the temperature at 33 degrees below zero. 1942- Fireworks in most cities are canceled due to war blackouts.
1945 – In Berlin, the Stars and Stripes are raised over the Adolf Hitler Barracks to the sound of a 48-gun salute.
1960 – The 50 star American flag waves for the first time as Hawaii is given statehood.
1976 – The nation’s Bicentennial occurs and people throughout the nation ring bells at 2p.m. to mark the occasion.
1980 – The Fourth is observed amid somber reminders
of the 53 American citizens held hostage in Iran.
1982 – The space shuttle Columbia lands at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
1988 – The rebuilt shuttle Discovery is taken to its launch pad.
1991 – The National Civil Rights Museum is dedicated in Memphis, TN.
1992 – The astronauts in the shuttle Columbia unfurl the Stars and Stripes and sing “Happy Birthday, America” from space.
1997 – The U.S. Pathfinder spacecraft lands on Mars.
1998 – Because of the state’s worst fire disaster in fifty years, Disney World and many towns across Florida cancel fireworks.
1999 – In Philadelphia, 112 people born on the Fourth of July since 1900 gather at Independence Hall for a “Photo of the Century.”
2002 – The most intense security precautions in the history of the Fourth of July take place nationwide to guard against possible terrorist attacks. President Bush issues an executive order allowing 15,000 immigrants serving active duty in the U.S. military to receive immediate eligibility for citizenship and security jobs.
2003 – In Tikrit, Iraq, U.S. soldiers celebrate with a cookout at Saddam Hussein’s hometown palace.
2004 – The cornerstone of the Freedom Tower is laid on the site of the World Trade Center.
2005 – In the biggest Fourth of July blast ever, NASA slams its 820-pound spacecraft, Deep Impact, into the comet Tempel 1.
2006 – The first ever launch of a space shuttle on Independence Day occurs when Discovery lifts off from Kennedy Space Center.
2007 – 1,000 people from 75 countries take citizenship oaths at Walt Disney World. At Camp Victory in Iraq, 161 soldiers are naturalized as American citizens.
2008 – At Camp Victory outside Baghdad, General David Petraeus leads a mass swearing-in re-enlistment ceremony for 1,215 Army, Marine and other servicemen and women.
2009 – The Statue of Liberty’s crown reopens to the public after 8 years.
2018 – What will you do to commemorate this historic Holiday?
God bless America, and Happy Birthday to her!
