Associated Press
NEW YORK — With backyard barbecues and fireworks, Americans celebrated Independence Day by participating in time-honored traditions that expressed pride in their country’s 242nd birthday.
But this quintessential American holiday was being marked with a sense of a United States divided for some, evidenced by competing televised events in the nation’s capital.
July Fourth festivities ranged from the lively and to the lighthearted, with Macy’s July Fourth fireworks and Nathan’s Famous hot dog eating contest. The day’s events also were stately and traditional, with parades lining streets across the country and the world’s oldest commissioned warship firing a 21-gun salute to mark the 242 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Here are some highlights of Wednesday’s festivities:
Oldest warship
The USS Constitution sailed in Boston Harbor and fired its guns again to mark Independence Day. The world’s oldest commissioned warship still afloat left its berth at the Charlestown Navy Yard on Wednesday morning and glided through the harbor. The ship, nicknamed Old Ironsides, traveled to Fort Independence on Castle Island to fire a 21-gun salute.
A Navy sailor on board recited the Declaration of Independence during the cruise.
Dueling celebrations
The country’s longest-running live national July Fourth television tradition is PBS’ broadcast of music and fireworks from the U.S. Capitol’s West Lawn. But it’s faced new counterprogramming this year from the White House, which is hosting its own concert and view of the National Park Service’s fireworks show.
PBS’ “A Capitol Fourth” had the bigger stars, including The Beach Boys, Jimmy Buffett, Pentatonix, Chita Rivera, Luke Combs and The Temptations.
The entertainers on the 90-minute White House event airing on the Hallmark Channel included singer-songwriter Sara Evans, pianist Lola Astanova and two former “American Idol” finalists. Both shows included the fireworks display from the National Park Service.
Lighting up night skies
In New York, the Macy’s fireworks show over the East River promised 25 minutes of sparkle plus the West Point Band and entertainers including Kelly Clarkson, Ricky Martin and Keith Urban on NBC’s broadcast.
But some places in the American West have canceled their planned July Fourth fireworks because of high wildfire danger, and others are doing drone light displays instead of pyrotechnics.
New Americans, divided America
This was the first Fourth of July for many new U.S. citizens after participating in naturalization ceremonies across the country.
In New Hampshire, more than 100 people from 48 countries became U.S. citizens during a ceremony at the Strawbery Banke museum in Portsmouth as part of the museum’s annual American Celebration. A ceremony also was held aboard the USS New Jersey, where dozens of people from countries including Vietnam and Bangladesh were sworn in.
The new citizens pledged allegiance to a country where some people lament that the ability to debate respectfully the toughest issues of the day seems hopelessly lost.
Fireworks accidents
A large tree branch fell on spectators during a fireworks display in western Illinois late Tuesday, killing two men and injuring five other people. Rock Island County sheriff’s officials said dozens of people were sitting near the tree at the time.
In Maryland, a man was hospitalized with “catastrophic injuries” to his hands after setting off fireworks at a large outdoor party where several attendees took illegal fireworks, investigators said.
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