Special Broadcasts: July 2009

BackStory: Independence Daze: A History of July Fourth

Friday, July 3, 2009 at 9:22 AM

In the early days of our nation, July Fourth wasn’t an official holiday at all. In fact, it wasn’t until 1938 that it became a paid day-off. So how did the Fourth become the holiest day on our secular calendar? Tune in to “BackStory with the American History Guys” to hear some answers from Historian Pauline Maier, who explains how radically the meaning of the Declaration has changed since 1776. James Heintze chronicles early Independence Day Bacchanalia. And historian David Blight reflects on Frederick Douglass’ arresting 1852 Independence Day speech.

Additional Information

BackStory: Independence Daze: A History of July Fourth web site