Celebrate Independence Day this Fourth of July with The New York Public Library! Explore America’s beginnings and history through fiction and nonfiction titles, digital resources, and digital collections, all available to you with your NYPL  card. 

Fiction and Nonfiction Titles

For Children

Fiction

• Fourth of July Mice by Bethany Roberts, illustrated by Doug Cushman

• Independence Cake by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by Giselle Potter

• Lady Liberty’s Holiday by Jen Arena, illustrated by Matt Hunt

• The Night Before the Fourth of July by Natasha Wing, illustrated by Amy Wummer

Nonfiction

• The Explosive Story of Fireworks! by Kama Einhorn

• Independence Day by Rachel Koestler-Grack

• Strong Voices: Fifteen American Speeches Worth Knowing

For Teens & Adults

Fiction

• Alex & Eliza: A Love Story (trilogy) by Melissa de la Cruz

• Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Nonfiction

• 1776 by David McCullough 

• Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation by Joseph Ellis

• Frederick Douglass and the Fourth of July by James A. Colaiaco

 

Digital Resources

For Children

BookFlix

Under Celebrations, children can watch the story The Star Spangled Banner by Peter Spier and read the nonfiction text titled The American Flag by Lisa M. Herrington. Children can also play a word match game to show what they’ve learned.

FreedomFlix

Upper elementary students can check out social studies topics in FreedomFlix, including relevant sections for Independence Day, listed under Colonial Era, such as The Revolutionary War and The Declaration of Independence.

Kids InfoBits

Young children can learn and develop their research skills through Gale’s Kids InfoBits, which allows them to search for articles, news stories, biographies, and images. This database allows teachers to integrate articles with Google Classroom, and engages all learners by providing tools like audio narration of articles and text enlargement functionality.

Key search terms to learn more about the July 4th and related history include:

• Fourth of July

• Independence Day

• American Flag

• American Revolution

• Declaration of Independence

For Teens & Adults

African American Experience

This full-text digital resource focuses on the history and culture of the African American experience, and features the option to explore by time period. Select Hopes for a New Nation, 1763-1816 to learn more about the era surrounding the Revolutionary War. 

American Founding Era Papers

After connecting to the database, click on American Founding Era to search through the collection, which includes papers of many of the founding fathers, including George Washington and Alexander Hamilton. 

American Memory

The Library of Congress maintains American Memory, a robust collection of primary source documents from American history. Browse through the featured content, or select a subject on the left hand navigation tool. 

America’s Historical Imprints

Temporarily available from home, America’s Historical Imprints allows users to browse and search for early American books, pamphlets, and ephemera. Use the subject tab to select a topic that interests you, or check out the available collections at the bottom of the site.

Biography in Context

Check out biographies of important figures from the American Revolution and the colonial era, as well as others who shaped the nation over the course of its history. Great historical figures to research include:

• Mary Church Terrell

• Frederick Douglass

• Alexander Hamilton

• Thomas Jefferson

• Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

• George Washington

U.S. History in Context 

Search for “Fourth of July” to find more information about the holiday, as well as historical images and related articles.

 

Digital Collections 

Fourth of July Sub-Collection

This sub-collection of The New York Public Library’s Digital Collection provides historical photographs and images related to Independence Day. Some examples include:

• The Man Who Does His Duty On The Fourth; The Man Who Doesn't

• Mennen's, The Powder We Celebrate (Fourth of July Sunscreen Advertisement)

• Reading The Original Declaration Of Independence, In Philadelphia, July 4, 1876