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National

Stated: The Declaration Of Independence

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.

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

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