NPR News

A July 4 NPR Tradition: A Reading Of The Declaration Of Independence

Published July 4, 2019 at 5:18 AM EDT

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A painting by John Trumbull titled <em>Declaration of Independence</em> hangs on the wall inside the U.S. Capitol on May 17, 2017. — A painting by John Trumbull titled *Declaration of Independence* hangs on the wall inside the U.S. Capitol on May 17, 2017.

Editor's note on July 8, 2022: This story quotes the U.S. Declaration of Independence — a document that contains offensive language about Native Americans, including a racial slur.

In 1988, Morning Edition launched what has become an Independence Day tradition: hosts, reporters, newscasters and commentators reading the Declaration of Independence.

Church bells rang out over Philadelphia 243 years ago today as the Continental Congress adopted this draft of the Declaration of Independence.

Below is the original text of the Declaration of Independence, alongside photos of the NPR staff members who performed the reading.

Corrected: June 24, 2022 at 12:00 AM EDT

An earlier web version of this story incorrectly said Morning Edition began the annual reading in 1989. In fact, the tradition began in 1988.