Seven Monumental Fourth of July Moments

Independence day is one of the best holidays that America celebrates. Setting the tone for a great summer, families get together to kick off this holiday around the pool, with good food on the grill, waiting for the fireworks. RELATED: Red, White & Blue: The Must Have Fourth of July BBQ Playlist   There have been groundbreaking moments that have happened during this holiday. Dating back to the initiation of this holiday in 1776, as former President Thomas Jefferson presented the Declaration of Independence to congress. Some moments made world news, and others left their legacy debuting a product that would stand the test of time. Our staff put together a short list of Fourth of July moments that tipped the scale. Whether it be you, your parents or maybe even your great grandparents remember where they were when these news stories broke.

Take a look at our Five Monumental Fourth of July moments below!

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1. 1776- Independance Day

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In 1776, as former President Thomas Jefferson presented the Declaration of Independence to John Hancock, head of congress. US Congress proclaims the Declaration of Independence and independence from Great Britain. 

2. 1939- Lou Gehrig Retires in Yankee Stadium

Original caption: 7/4/39-New York: Lou Gehrig, the “Iron Horse” of baseball, who was forced to the bench by amyotrophic lateral scherosis after playing 2,130 consecutive games, is touched by fans demonstration as he is acclaimed in a manner unrivaled in baseball history. Upwards of 75,000 jammed Yankee Stadium to honor Lou. He is shown here–handkerchief to his face, deeply moved by the ovation they gave him. 

3. 1960- American Flag gets its 50th star

To officially celebrate Hawaii being named a state in 1959, the 50th star  was ceremoniously added on July 4th, 1960.

4. 1966- 36th President of the United States, Lyndon B. Johnson, Signs Freedom of Information Act

Lyndon Baines Johnson (1908 – 1973) was the 36th President of the United States, serving from 1963 to 1969. In 1966, LBJ signs the Freedom of Information Act which gave the public the right to request crime date, court history, investigative reports and more. This gave researchers, publishers, and employers the tools to make a definitive decision about someone based of information received outside of that person’s approval. 

5. 1970- Casey Kasem Debuts "American Top 40"

Legendary Radio Personality Casey Kasem debuted American Top 40 on LA radio on July 4th, 1970. This Radio show set the standard for “America’s Music” as Casey Kasem counted down 40 of the best songs in America. 

6. 1996- Hotmail goes live

One of the first electronic mail providers, Hotmail, launched the revolutionary program to access our messages from anywhere in the world. The e-mail service was sold to Microsoft in December 1997 for a reported $400 million. 

7. 2016- Kevin Durant announces he in joining the Warriors

Kevin Durant made the sports world erupt when he announced on July, 4th 2016 that he would be joining the Golden State Warriors. The heavily scrutinized move but LeBron’s move to Miami in hindsight, as Kevin now became the biggest villain in the NBA at that time. Kevin Durant went on to win back-to-back NBA Championships with the Warriors before being traded in 2019.