Culminating on this day in 1976, a decade in planning and preceded by numerous events, both sanctioned and unsanctioned by the US government including the Boston Oil Party, when objects symbolising the petroleum industry were tossed in the city’s harbour to promote environmental justice and declare independence from polluting corporations and Richard Nixon was hanged in effigy, 
elected representatives reenacted the first Continental Congress, a state visit by the Queen, the Freedom Train made a circuit of the nation and a time-capsule opened, America celebrated its the beginning of its third century, focused on themes of renewal and rebirth, recently have endure the Watergate scandal and the Fall of Saigon. The logo was designed by Bruce Blackburn, who also modernised the NASA insignia (see also here and here). The bicentennial parade in Philadelphia was lead by grand marshal Johnny Cash and the US space agency unveiled its first test vehicle in its line of space shuttles—originally to be christened the Constitution in honour of the anniversary but renamed Enterprise due to popular demand. Fifty years on, the holiday will probably be marked with the end of the fourteenth and seventeenth amendments, reversing birth-right citizenship and direct voting for senatorial representation.
synchronoptica
one year ago: another cosmic interloper (with synchronoptica) plus One Big Beautiful Bill
two years ago: the introduction of the Caesar salad (1925) plus the waterfalls of Mount Cuvignone
three years ago: David Bowie’s Station to Station, My Country ’Tis of Thee plus forgotten American mascots
four years ago: an ancient nebula
five years ago: occupied Austria plus local flora
six years ago: American Top 40 (1970), Nixon’s Honor America Day plus the superlative of free
