July 4 2026 Celebration at Congressional Cemetery (4 Jul 2026)

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 14:00:00 GMT

On the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the D.C. Sons of the American Revolution, in partnership with Historic Congressional Cemetery and the National Cemetery Administration, invites you, members of all other lineage organizations, and the the public to join us on Saturday, July 4, 2026, for a special America250 commemoration honoring Elbridge Gerry, all the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, and the Revolutionary War veterans memorialized at Congressional Cemetery.

Founding Father and Revolutionary War Patriot Elbridge Gerry is the only signer of the Declaration of Independence and the only Vice President buried in Washington, D.C. His historic gravesite at Congressional Cemetery remains an enduring place of national memory and reflection, linking the nation’s founding generation to the present day.

Beginning at 10:00 AM, the ceremony will feature remarks from representatives of SAR, Historic Congressional Cemetery, and the National Cemetery Administration. The program will include the presentation of colors, the National Anthem, the playing of Taps, and a wreath and flower laying at Gerry’s grave in honor of his service to the founding of the United States and the enduring legacy of the Revolutionary generation.

Following the ceremony, attendees are invited to enjoy light refreshments, and join a guided walking tour highlighting the graves of Revolutionary War veterans interred at thel cemetery. Along the route, participants will help place commemorative flags at veterans’ grave sites, ensuring that the stories and sacrifices of these early Americans continue to be remembered as the nation marks the 250th anniversary of its founding.

Please share this invitation. The event is free and open to the public, although voluntary contributions are welcome to help defray the costs! If you plan to attend, we do ask that you RSVP so we can plan accordingly.

Sharing the Spirit of America – July 8, 2026 (8 Jul 2026)

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 21:30:00 GMT

The Declaration of Independence was first read to the people on July 8, 1776.

On the 250^th anniversary of that event, beginning at 6 pm EDT, Wednesday, July 8, 2026, people in communities across America - in all 50 States, D.C., and territories from the Caribbean to the western Pacific - will read the Declaration of Independence ‘together’

The event in D.C. is being organized by the Sons of the American Revolution with cooperation from the National Park Service and the Military District of Washington, and will take place at an especially appropriate place – under the watchful eyes of Thomas Jefferson on the steps of the Jefferson Memorial. You are invited to come help read, or just attend and watch! The program is free of charge and open to the public, beginning at 5:30 with the presentation of the Colors by a Joint Armed Forces Color Guard, and we hope, a short performance by the U. S. Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps.

The premise of “Sharing the Spirit of America” is simple - the simultaneous reading of the Declaration of Independence across the country, with Americans reading the document ‘together’ at the ‘same’ time.

The American spirit, principles, and values memorialized 250 years ago in the Declaration of Independence hold true today.

The truths that were self-evident then remain valid today, “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” as are the personal and collective responsibilities we share in protecting and perpetuating these values.

Unlike the extent of the Colonies in 1776, today America spans about 9,500 miles from one extreme to the other. Even though the United States is spread across thousands of miles and ten different time zones, all of us in America may read the Declaration of Independence ‘together’, at the ‘same’ time.

This is a great unifying program for all Americans, wherever we are. And it certainly includes and links us to the 250th Anniversary of the United States, the approval of the Declaration of Independence.

Please join other Americans across the country in a unified, positive, significant moment.

D.C. Society Sons of the American Revolution upcoming events

July 4 2026 Celebration at Congressional Cemetery (4 Jul 2026)

Sharing the Spirit of America – July 8, 2026 (8 Jul 2026)