Saluting the Red, White, and Blue

By Keith Gebers
Citizen Staff Writer

Officially it’s called Independence Day. But most people refer to it as July Fourth or the Fourth of July. It is the biggest national holiday of the year, although there are several times during the year when a patriotic theme highlights a special occasion, such as Veterans Day and even Memorial Day.
The day marks the signing of the Declaration of Independence from Britain on July 4, 1776. However the United States didn’t officially became independent until Sept. 3, 1783 when King George III and leaders of the United States signed The Treaty of Paris.
The first official anniversary celebration occurred July 4, 1777 in Philadelphia with speeches by members of the Continental Congress along with military parades, toasts and a 13-gun salute. On July 4, 1778 George Washington celebrated Independence Day by giving his troops a double ration of rum.
North Carolina, in 1781, was the first state to officially recognize Independence Day. However, it wasn’t until 99-years later that the United States Congress made July 4 a national holiday. And strangely enough, federal employees didn’t get that day off in 1880 with pay.
An overall feeling of celebration marks the Fourth of July. Many cities have large parades and in Elk Grove we have the Red, White and Blue Celebration, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. It is a tradition held yearly in Elk Grove Regional Park and features a gigantic fireworks display, preceded by day long activities, such as popular live music, family picnics and displays put on by community organizations and vendors.
Songs play a big part in Independence Day tradition. “The Star Spangled Banner is the national anthem, which commemorates a critical battle with the British during the War of 1812. With a melody based on a British drinking song and words written by Francis Scott Key, “The Star Spangled Banner” wasn’t adopted by Congress as the National Anthem until 1931. Even then, it was controversial with many leaders saying “My Country, Tis of Thee” was more traditional.
Some years later a short-lived effort got underway when some popular musicians suggested making “America the Beautiful” the national anthem. Others say “God Bless America,” written by Irving Berlin and made popular in 1938 by singer Kate Smith, was - and is - the best choice. However it ran into problems when some secular critics said mention of the deity favored union between church and state. Still, “God Bless America” is often regarded as the unofficial national anthem.
Other songs receive a lot of play on July 4 including “This Land Is Your Land, “Stars and Stripes Forever,” along with “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” which was written by George M. Cohen, who was born on July 4, 1878.
This year July 4 takes on special meaning because thousands of Americans are in harm’s way in the mid east. Many of the celebrations will commemorate the efforts and sacrifices of these young people who are serving their nation in times of need.