A July 4 Tradition: NPR Reads The Declaration Of Independence

Published July 4, 2018 at 4:59 AM EDT

Tourists look up to the Capitol Rotunda as they stand in front of John Trumbull's Declaration of Independence painting on March 10, 2014.

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.

Thirty years ago, Morning Edition launched what has become an Independence Day tradition: familiar NPR voices reading the Declaration of Independence.

Below is the draft of the Declaration of Independence adopted by the Continental Congress 242 years ago in Philadelphia. It is read by NPR staff members in the accompanying audio.