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.
Twenty-four years ago, Morning Edition launched what has become an Independence Day tradition: hosts, reporters, newscasters and commentators reading the Declaration of Independence.
It was 236 years ago this Wednesday that church bells rang out over Philadelphia, as the Continental Congress adopted Thomas Jefferson's draft of the Declaration of Independence.
Below is the original text of the Declaration, alongside photos of the NPR staff members and contributors who performed the reading.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
1 of
— Steve Inskeep
Doby Photography / NPR
2 of
— Renee Montagne
Renee Montagne
Doby Photography / NPR
3 of
— Paul Brown
Paul Brown
Doby Photography / NPR
4 of
— Jean Cochran
Jean Cochran
Doby Photography / NPR
5 of
— Julie McCarthy
Julie McCarthy
/ Wen Wang
6 of
— Don Gonyea
Don Gonyea
Doby Photography / NPR
7 of
— Deborah Amos
Deborah Amos
/ Steve Barrett
8 of
— Chris Arnold
Chris Arnold
Doby Photography / NPR
9 of
— Mike Pesca
Mike Pesca
/ David Banks
10 of
— Tamara Keith
Tamara Keith
Doby Photography / NPR
11 of
— Lourdes Garcia-Navarro
Lourdes Garcia-Navarro
/ Dario Lopez Mills
12 of
— Sylvia Poggioli
Sylvia Poggioli
Kainaz Amaria / NPR
13 of
— David Greene
David Greene
David Gilkey / NPR
14 of
— Cheryl Corley
Cheryl Corley
Steve Barrett / NPR
15 of
— Nina Totenberg
Nina Totenberg
Steve Barrett / NPR
16 of
— Eric Westervelt
Eric Westervelt
/ NPR
17 of
— Elizabeth Blair
Elizabeth Blair
Doby Photography / NPR
18 of
— Adam Davidson
Adam Davidson
/ Jay Paul
19 of
— Robert Smith
Robert Smith
Steve Barrett / NPR
20 of
— Mara Liasson
Mara Liasson
Doby / NPR
21 of
— Linda Wertheimer
Linda Wertheimer
/ Steve Barrett
22 of
— Tom Goldman
Tom Goldman
/ Steve Barrett
23 of
— Jackie Northam
Jackie Northam
/ skphotomedia
24 of
— Michele Keleman
Michele Keleman
Doby / NPR
25 of
— Ari Shapiro
Ari Shapiro
Doby Photography / NPR
26 of
— Richard Knox
Richard Knox
/ Jacques Coughlin
27 of
— Susan Stamberg
Susan Stamberg
Doby Photography / NPR
28 of
— Scott Horsley
Scott Horsley
Doby Photography / NPR
29 of
— Cokie Roberts
Cokie Roberts
Steve Fenn / ABC, Inc.
30 of
— Renee Montagne
Renee Montagne
Doby Photography / NPR
31 of
— Steve Inskeep
Steve Inskeep
Doby Photography / NPR
