1976: U.S. celebrates 200th birthday
“Today marked the 200th anniversary of the signing of the declaration of independence. To recognize the event, the Declaration of Independence was publicly displayed for 76 continuous hours, ships paraded up the Hudson River for Operation Sail and bells rang throughout the country to salute the moment the Declaration was signed. Community picnics, parades, street dances and special receptions also marked the occasion.
"Break out the flags, strike up the band, light up the sky and let the whole world know that the United States of America is about to have another happy birthday, still going strong at 200, and in the words of the great Al Jolson – You ain't seen nothin' yet," declared President Ford during the opening of the Honor America Program at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
NOTE: It was on July 4, 1776, that the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. The document asserted the dissolution of any allegiance to England by the 13 American colonies.” Newspaper Archive
I am 68 years old and am here for another birthday of the United States. I was not around for the first one but I was around for the 200th birthday of the United States. I will not be here for the 300th birthday of the United States but I am here for this one.
I am in Miami FL and there will be a lot of firework shows. They said on TV that because of the money problems that some of the events will be smaller this year. This 4th of July the nation is hurting. Many people are having problems. The un-employment rate is 9.5 and heading to 10% and I think will go higher. We got a lot of bad times ahead of us.
Thank God we got some people in Washington now that can think and work on the problems. I am not sure they can fix this mess as soon as people want it fixed but I think it will get fixed.
I hope you all have a good 4th of July.
