In honor of Independence Day, we’ve created a special Fourth of July showcase, featuring 40 original stories from Americans of diverse backgrounds, faiths and colors. We invite you to celebrate the 4th of July with these rarely told stories recalling the contributions and the struggles, the successes and hopes in search of the amazing identity that is America.

Each year, the Fourth of July gives us all a wonderful chance to celebrate America’s deeply prized values—liberty, freedom and equality. We mark the occasion with picnics, parades and BBQs, and we express our patriotism with flags and songs. Amid the fanfare and fireworks, however, we don’t always have the opportunity to reflect more deeply on the ideals on which our nation was founded. We don’t often have the chance to consider our progress toward equality for all men and women, and to explore the diversity that is the hallmark of the American identity.

Lucky for us: artists have been doing just that for centuries. From Thoreau to Springsteen, writers, artists and storytellers have shared their perspectives on America’s promise and inspired their countrymen to keep working toward the attainment of a truly free country for all. With that in mind, we’ve created this special Fourth of July video showcase to celebrate America’s independence, its promise of equality for all, and the beauty and challenge of diversity.

We invite you to visit our Showcase Page where our artists of the spoken word — professional storytellers –tell their stories for the 4th July — or for any time.