July 4 is day 185 of the year in a common year and 186 in a leap year. It is Independence Day in the United States. It falls on a Sunday in 2027 and a Tuesday in 2028.
The date carries a coincidence with no parallel in American history.
Three of the first five presidents died on July fourth — John Adams and Thomas Jefferson on the same day in 1826, exactly fifty years after the Declaration of Independence was adopted, and James Monroe five years later in 1831.
Adams’s reported last words were “Jefferson survives.” He did not know that Jefferson had died some five hours earlier.
Table of Contents
What day of the week is July 4?
July 4 is day 185 of the year in a common year and day 186 in a leap year, because it follows February 29.
| Year | Day of week |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Saturday |
| 2027 | Sunday |
| 2028 | Tuesday |
| 2029 | Wednesday |
| 2030 | Thursday |
| 2031 | Friday |
| 2032 | Sunday |
| 2033 | Monday |
| 2034 | Tuesday |
| 2035 | Wednesday |
The weekday advances by one each year and by two across a leap year, which is why 2027 to 2028 skips Monday and 2031 to 2032 skips Saturday.
Because Independence Day is a fixed-date federal holiday, the weekday determines the observance.
A Saturday July 4th is observed the preceding Friday and a Sunday July 4 the following Monday. In 2027 the federal closure falls on Monday, July 5.
Observances on July Fourth
| Observance | Scope | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Independence Day | United States | Federal holiday |
| Republic Day | Philippines | Marks 1946 independence from the US |
| Liberation Day | Rwanda | |
| National Country Music Day | United States | |
| Caesar Salad Day | United States |
Independence Day is the only federal holiday on the date. Observed closures shift when July Fourth falls on a weekend, so the federal closure and the anniversary are not always the same day.
Historical events on July 4
1776 — The Declaration of Independence was adopted by delegates to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia. The vote for independence itself had been taken two days earlier, on July 2, and most delegates signed the engrossed copy on August 2 (Britannica; Associated Press, Today in History).
1802 — The United States Military Academy officially opened at West Point, New York (West Point, Today in History).
1817 — Construction of the Erie Canal began at Rome, New York (Associated Press, Today in History).
1826 — Former presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died, fifty years to the day after the Declaration was adopted. Jefferson died first, at Monticello; Adams died about five hours later at Quincy, Massachusetts (Britannica; History.com).
1831 — James Monroe, the fifth president, died in New York City at the age of 73 — the third president in five years to die on July 4 (Associated Press, Today in History).
1855 — The first edition of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass was published, containing twelve poems (Associated Press, Today in History).
1863 — The Siege of Vicksburg ended when Confederate General John C. Pemberton surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant, splitting the Confederacy along the Mississippi (History.com; Associated Press).
1884 — The completed Statue of Liberty was formally presented to the United States ambassador at a ceremony in Paris (History.com).
1910 — Jack Johnson defeated former champion James J. Jeffries in fifteen rounds at Reno, Nevada, in a bout billed as the Fight of the Century. Race riots following the result killed more than twenty people (Associated Press, Today in History).
1976 — Israeli commandos raided Entebbe Airport in Uganda, rescuing 103 hostages (Associated Press, Today in History).
2012 — Scientists at CERN in Geneva announced the discovery of a particle consistent with the Higgs boson (Associated Press, Today in History).
Notable births on July Fourth
| Year | Person | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| 1804 | Nathaniel Hawthorne | American novelist |
| 1872 | Calvin Coolidge | 30th US president, the only one born on July 4 |
| 1883 | Rube Goldberg | American cartoonist and engineer |
| 1918 | Ann Landers and Abigail Van Buren | Twin advice columnists, born Esther and Pauline Friedman |
| 1927 | Neil Simon | American playwright |
| 1927 | Gina Lollobrigida | Italian actress |
Calvin Coolidge is the only US president born on Independence Day, which pairs oddly with the three who died on it.
Zodiac sign and birthstone for July 4
July 4 falls under Cancer, which runs from approximately June 21 to July 22. The date sits about two weeks from either boundary, so the sign is unambiguous under any published date set.
| Value | |
|---|---|
| Zodiac sign | Cancer |
| Sign dates | About June 21 to July 22 |
| Element | Water |
| Birthstone | Ruby |
| Birth flowers | Larkspur and water lily |
Cancer’s boundaries move by up to a day between sources because the June solstice, which marks the sign’s start, shifts by several hours each year. July 4 is unaffected.
How many days until July 4?
The next July 4 falls on a Sunday in 2027, with the federal holiday observed on Monday, July 5. It is day 185 of the year, leaving 180 days remaining after it in a common year.
July Fourth sits close to the midpoint of the year. Day 183 — July 2 in a common year — is the exact centre, with 182 days on either side.
Frequently asked questions
What day of the week is July 4, 2027?
Sunday. Because Independence Day is fixed to July 4 and that date falls on a Sunday in 2027, the federal holiday is observed on Monday, July 5, producing a three-day weekend. Fireworks and celebrations are generally held on the Sunday.
Which presidents died on July 4?
Three of the first five: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, both on July 4, 1826, and James Monroe on July 4, 1831. Adams and Jefferson died within about five hours of each other, exactly fifty years after the Declaration of Independence was adopted. Calvin Coolidge, born July 4, 1872, is the only president born on the date.
Was the Declaration of Independence signed on July Fourth?
No. It was adopted on July 4, 1776, but most delegates signed the engrossed copy on August 2. The vote for independence had been taken on July 2, which John Adams expected would become the date Americans celebrated.
