220 Years Of Freedom Celebrated

From 170 miles above the Earth, astronauts aboard the space shuttle Columbia beamed down white-and-blue scenes of the United States from coast to coast as a recording of “America the Beautiful” played in the background.

In Philadelphia, where the Declaration of Independence was signed 220 years ago, two young descendants of the signers lightly tapped the Liberty Bell 13 times, giving the signal for thousands of bells in churches, schools and government buildings across the country to start pealing.

In naturalization ceremonies Thursday, 713 immigrants in Detroit and more than 60 in Lincoln, Neb., were welcomed as citizens. The day before, nearly 4,000 immigrants in El Paso, Texas, became Americans, as did nearly 200 people in Boston.

In a ceremony at the home of signer Thomas Jefferson in Charlottesville, Va., exactly 170 years after his death, 75 new Americans took the oath of citizenship.

“Before today, you had homes in 34 countries all over the world,” said Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “After today, you all have the same home: America.”

In addition to the traditional parades, fireworks and other celebrations, in towns large and small, Americans took note of Independence Day 1996:

Campaigning in Youngstown, Ohio, President Clinton told a crowd of about 5,000 that he had just seen the movie “Independence Day,” in which alien spaceships destroy the White House. “I hope it’s there when I get back,” he joked.

In Rhode Island, the 211th Bristol Independence Day Parade, the oldest continuous one in the country, attracted nearly 250,000 onlookers. It began in 1785 as a prayerful walk to celebrate independence from the rule of King George III.

In Irondequoit, N.Y., couples rose from their deck chairs, children waved little flags and cheers rang out loudly for the Vietnam War veterans at the Lake Ontario town’s parade.

“I think they’ve been slighted so long that people feel a special attachment to them,” said Ross Willink, 70, a retired school administrator.