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CNN Live Event/Special
America Celebrates 250 Years; Mount Vernon Celebrates America's Founding Fathers; D.C.'s Great American State Fair Celebrates 250 Years; Making America's Official 250th Birthday Cake; Thomas Jefferson's 6th Great-Grandson Joins The Celebration; Exploring Revolutionary Boston; Tonight On CNN: Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular; world War Two Hero Honored. Aired 4-5p ET
Aired July 04, 2026 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[16:00:41]
DANA BASH, CNN ANCHOR: Happy birthday, America. Welcome to CNN's special July 4th coverage. I am Dana Bash here with Boris Sanchez. And our nation is going big for the 2-5-0. Flyovers in the sky, ships on the water, costumes in the street. We're seeing it all. And there's a whole lot more to come.
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: The party is just heating up across the country. Literally it is heating up. The weather is so intense. Right now more than 100 degrees here in Washington. That, however, is not slowing anyone down. We have a packed hour coming up. We're going to talk with the people behind the party, including the creator of the official America 250 birthday cake. I'm not sure we would get a taste of that. That would be great.
BASH: We might.
SANCHEZ: We might. What is a birthday without a cake? We've also got a great performance from Kool and the Gang and --
BASH: I hope Kool and the Gang bring some cool.
SANCHEZ: Yes, they might actually cool us down. We would need that. We also have a special interview with a descendant of Thomas Jefferson.
BASH: But first our reporters are fanned out all across the nation, covering the crowds, the celebrations and the spectacle of America's historic 250. Let's head north now to Provincetown, Mass. The pilgrims first landed there before settling in Plymouth. As you can see, July 4th celebrations are in full swing.
Randi, take it away. Tell us who you've got there.
RANDI KAYE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Dana and Boris, we are having a blast here in Provincetown celebrating the Fourth with my new friends. They call themselves the Tina's because you always dress up as Tina Turner, right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We always dress up as Tina Turner. A great friend of mine 42 years ago said you should dress up as Tina Turner for the Provincetown.
KAYE: But today, on July 4th, you're dressed as who?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm doing homage to Diana Ross because she did this at the Met Gala last year. So we said, let's be grand and fabulous like Diana Ross.
KAYE: And I love it. You have the red, white and blue. This hat, you know, it's so hot out. We can all duck under this, can't we, DJ? We can like duck under here and get some shade from this giant hat. And you made this outfit? Is that what I understand?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I did. I made this all from scratch. It's, you know, satin and feathers and a little bit of construction board.
KAYE: And I have watched the two of you today. These two are just spreading joy among the people here in Provincetown. Right? Is that your goal on July 4th?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's -- our goal is to put a smile on people's faces and put everyone in a good mood because if everyone is in a good mood, we're in a good mood. We just want to uplift the community, and we think we do that because we get a lot of smiles.
KAYE: Yes. And also we were at the Crown and Anchor in town last night for a big party, and you guys were there. You were dressed as the Madonnas, which I love because Madonna has a new album out, right? Big fans.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Madonnas, yes, all major fans of Madonna. "Confessions II" came out yesterday. We were planning to wear that outfit because she's wearing the veil that has gone viral, and we knew Trist was throwing a drag derby party.
KAYE: Right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So we said, because Trist, you know, had a "Confessions" party at the Abbey in West Hollywood. And Madonna was there performing. So we said, this is perfect, let's dress as Madonna and go to the Tryst. I mean, you have to be at Tryst.
KAYE: And you're such a fan of Madonna that you even have a little bit of a tune for me, don't you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Our favorite Madonna song is "Vogue," and our favorite part is the rap. And the rap goes, Greta Garbo and Monroe Dietrich and DiMaggio, Marlon Brando, Jimmy Dean on the cover of a magazine. Grace Kelly Harlow Jean. Picture of a beauty queen. Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, dance on air.
KAYE: Impressive. That's amazing. The Tinas. They sing Madonna. They dress like Diana Ross. I mean, what else could you ask for? Happy July 4th. Right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right. Happy Fourth.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Happy July 4th.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: America 250. We love America.
BASH: Randi, if you can hear me, I have a question. I have a question for your new friends.
KAYE: Dana has a question.
BASH: I -- OK. I want to know if they've listened to "Confessions II" yet, because I was listening this morning. My favorite is "Danceteria." My second favorite is "Test." Are they listening yet?
KAYE: Is -- OK. So Dana Bash has a question. She has "Confessions II." They want -- she wants to know if you've listened to the whole thing already. Her favorite song is "Danceteria." And do you have a favorite?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, it's a tie between "Danceteria" and "I Feel So Free." We played it yesterday three times and we played it again this morning. We can't get enough of it.
KAYE: OK. I get that. What about you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I like all the songs on it, but "Danceteria" is definitely a favorite.
BASH: See? Danny, you are in the know. We were right there with them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That one is going to skyrocket on the charts.
SANCHEZ: You should have seen her rapping along.
BASH: You have me at Madonna, Randi.
SANCHEZ: To the "Vogue" rap, yes.
BASH: You had me at Madonna.
KAYE: I saw them dressed as the Madonnas last night and I just could not get over it. It was amazing.
[16:05:04]
BASH: I love it.
KAYE: But this is a great close second. Amazing, amazing. Fantastic.
BASH: Happy Fourth.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Happy Fourth to you.
BASH: Happy Fourth.
KAYE: Thanks, guys.
BASH: Let's go to Donie O'Sullivan, who is in Mount Vernon where he has been hanging out at a Revolutionary War encampment.
Donie, I love that we take the Irishman and we put him right in the home of America's first president.
DONIE O'SULLIVAN, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Dana, how are you? Yes, I'm here with Brian, who's from Ohio. Correct?
BRIAN EGLI, REVOLUTIONARY WAR REENACTOR: Correct.
O'SULLIVAN: Just tell us a little bit about what we just did here. We just visited Washington's tomb.
EGLI: Well, basically we're redoing the American Revolution as we do. We take an honor in that fact to the fathers of our country, the fathers of our enemies on there. During this time, we take and honor them, just like if they were British here or there were some of the German mercenaries or French on there. We would also honor them.
We're honoring basically the history of this country. And that's the important thing is we're reliving the history and we're giving it value, which doesn't seem to be present in most of today's world.
O'SULLIVAN: And you and your colleagues here are all historical re- enactors.
EGLI: Correct.
O'SULLIVAN: You know, you guys aren't just doing this on July 4th. You do this all over --
EGLI: We do it basically the year round.
O'SULLIVAN: So this is a real community.
EGLI: Yes, it's a big community on there. We share information back and forth. Hey, I found this information. It goes here and there or I made this item on there. We love it. And that's what we work for.
O'SULLIVAN: And a lot of folks, some guys who are retired and instead of playing golf, this is what people do as a hobby.
EGLI: Correct.
O'SULLIVAN: It's a great -- it seems like a great hobby.
EGLI: It's a great hobby because you're allowed to do things yourself. Here we have, you know, you can see the various uniforms, different colors of different things on there. There's things that put us all together. Our rifle shirts keeping us all together, just like they did at the time as I have told you before. We didn't have a uniform when we started on there. It wasn't until later that we got the French coats coming in. So these are things that we do.
There are gentlemen who make the shoes, make the trousers. Ladies who make other parts on there. We do, and I just did the new hat on there to take and steam it and have it set. And you notice they sit over the eye on there so you can --
O'SULLIVAN: Just final question before we go.
EGLI: Sure.
O'SULLIVAN: We're here at Mount Vernon on this very historic day. What does it mean to you to be an American, to be here today?
EGLI: The people who took the oath of allegiance today. July 4th, Mount Vernon. Yes, you got it. We got more Americans.
O'SULLIVAN: Very nice to meet you, Brian.
EGLI: Good to meet you.
O'SULLIVAN: Guys, back to you on the mall. It's been a really fantastic day here. And as Brian was saying, there was a naturalization ceremony here this morning. 150 new American citizens. So it's been a great day.
BASH: Amazing.
SANCHEZ: A touching moment, no doubt. He was clearly touched by it.
Donie O'Sullivan, thank you so much from Mount Vernon.
Now back across the Potomac to the nation's capital, where tourists have been braving heat all day at the American State Fair on the mall.
CNN's Derek Van Dam is live outside the exhibit for the great state of Massachusetts.
Derek, what an amazing shirt.
BASH: Oh, my gosh.
DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes. Boris and Dana, you knew you were not spared from the tricks I had up my sleeve this week.
BASH: Oh, my gosh.
VAN DAM: Yes. You know what? I'm going to get you guys to sign this personally, all right? I made this just for you.
BASH: Nothing would make us happier.
VAN DAM: We worked really hard at this, my producers and I. This is fantastic. I feel like a super fan. Right? And I am because I love you, guys. I love working with you. You know, this is such an awesome celebration where we are on the Great American lawn here. Right? So this is just so amazing with the Washington monument behind us and all the people that have gathered here.
But one of the interesting parts about this is that there's so many different states and territories that are represented here on the National Mall during the Great American State Fair. And some states didn't send representatives to represent their individual states, but some people are using that as an opportunity to showcase on their own dime what their state is all about. And I have one such individual here.
Wow. You know what? Judith Kalaora, she is a living historian. That is incredible. We have been talking for the past hour. She will go into character, but you play an important part in Massachusetts history. I believe Deborah Sampson is the first female who actually disguised herself as a male to sign up into the infantry.
JUDITH KALAORA, LIVING HISTORIAN: That's successfully, successfully enlisted in the Continental Army. I, as Deborah Sampson, tied back my hair, bound my chest, put on male attire, walked into a tavern, told the muster master, I want to join the army for the balance of the war, and was sent into the Fourth Massachusetts Regiment of the Continental Army, deployed to New York, fought loyalists, injured in battle.
[16:10:07]
VAN DAM: What happened?
KALAORA: I was shot in the thigh by a loyalist cowboy.
VAN DAM: No.
KALAORA: And I always say, if you're ever having a bad day, ask yourself this, because I went through something very intense. I couldn't be discovered. I couldn't go to the surgeon. I didn't want to ask me to drop trou obviously. So I had to take my own pen knife.
VAN DAM: It would give away your --
KALAORA: Of course.
VAN DAM: You're a female. Got it.
KALAORA: I mean, there's not much to find down there. So I took my own knife. I dug the musket ball out of my own thigh, and then I sewed my own leg back together with needle and thread. And if you're ever having a bad day, this is what I want you to remember.
VAN DAM: What is this?
KALAORA: Are you digging this musket ball?
VAN DAM: That is the musket ball.
KALAORA: (INAUDIBLE) leg. I cleaned the blood off of it for you.
VAN DAM: Oh. Thank you, I appreciate that. This is about the size of a marble, but it's about 100 times heavier than that.
KALAORA: Lead musket ball. If you're not digging a lead musket ball out of your leg, you are having a good day.
VAN DAM: I can't say I've ever done that before, but, you know -- KALAORA: I'm glad.
VAN DAM: I appreciate that history and that is the things that we're learning here along the Great American State Fair, with all these different states that are represented.
I want you to show me what you can do with that musket. And don't scare anybody, OK?
KALAORA: I'll try not to. I'll try not to.
VAN DAM: Take it away.
KALAORA: Prime and load.
VAN DAM: Loading her musket with the pellet.
KALAORA: Take aim.
VAN DAM: Judith, thank you very much for that incredible history lesson. I have learned so much. Please Google Deborah Sampson. You'll get all historical contacts and reference to this. She has come here on her own dime to represent the beautiful state of Massachusetts. And we are so pleased to have you here, and Deborah --
KALAORA: Deborah Sampson.
VAN DAM: Deborah Sampson is the person you need to look at, but Dana and Boris are the ones who I have dawned on my beautiful America 250 shirt. And I --
KALAORA: Extremely handsome.
VAN DAM: I will send it back to you guys because what a day we're having here on the Great American State Fair.
SANCHEZ: What an incredible demonstration of history there by Judith.
BASH: I am obsessed with Deborah Sampson. Obsessed. That whole story and the demonstration.
SANCHEZ: And the pellet. Incredible. Our thanks to them and for Derek Van Dam for wearing that amazing shirt. Derek, we will be more than happy to sign that for you.
Listen, what is a birthday party without a birthday cake? Joining us now is the mastermind behind what's being called the Bipartisan Gift to the Nation, the official America 250 birthday cake.
Grace "Grey" Pak, she's the founder of the Fine Art Cake Studio, Duchess of Cameron, and she joins us now.
Grace, thank you so much for being with us. Obviously, as we reflect on 250 years, you must have had so many influences going into this cake because, you know, e pluribus unum, out of many one, diverse influences, plus all the history that goes into building something like this. How did it all factor in, especially like flavors and symbols?
GRACE "GREY" PAK, DESIGNER OF AMERICA'S 250TH BIRTHDAY CAKE: Well, I struggled a lot in the beginning because it's like 250 years of America. How do we represent everyone and how do we just include everyone? But thankfully, I was able to speak with curators at the Smithsonian. Also, food historians at Colonial Williamsburg. And I came to the conclusion of having a theme called "American made," because we as Americans can safely say we have all made something.
So I can safely represent everyone. And yes, we had bipartisan members, bicameral from all 50 states and U.S. territories, and D.C., hand finishing elements of the cake, which I think is, you know, it's first. It's never happened before.
BASH: Yes. And I saw the video that we actually played on "INSIDE POLITICS" yesterday of you with those members of Congress, Democrats, Republicans. And it was fascinating to see them, obviously, just literally roll up their sleeves and engage, but also pick representations of their states to be part of this cake.
PAK: Yes. So I had asked every office if there's something that the people of your state or territory are making right now that you want to highlight. What is that? And we'd love to make it.
SANCHEZ: You also got a chance to work alongside a Marine Corps Culinary Specialist who volunteered to work on this project. Tell us about that collaboration.
PAK: Yes. So we had worked together the past two years. We made the Marine Corps commandant's ball cake, and those are giant cakes. Cakes are really big in the Marine Corps tradition. And after doing the 250th Marine Corps cake, we said, hey, America's 250 is coming up. I wonder who's making the cake. So we worked together and they've been amazing, volunteering outside of their Marine duties. And yes, couldn't have done this without them.
[16:15:08]
SANCHEZ: Incredible. So we are wondering what it tastes like. We don't have a sample here, do we?
PAK: So I actually brought some for you.
SANCHEZ: You did?
BASH: Wait, actually?
PAK: I actually brought them.
BASH: We came in together. I didn't even see it.
PAK: Yes. Magic. I can't guarantee it didn't melt this 110 degree weather, but it is here.
SANCHEZ: Should we try some out?
BASH: Where is it? I don't see it. Let's see.
SANCHEZ: Here we go.
PAK: Hidden in the cooler.
BASH: You were hiding it back there, Adam.
PAK: Do we have forks? I think they were going to --
BASH: You know, forks.
PAK: Hands?
SANCHEZ: We may just have to use our hands. Right?
BASH: Exactly. It's OK.
PAK: I love it.
BASH: I mean, at this point.
SANCHEZ: So tell us --
BASH: Oh, wow.
SANCHEZ: Tell us about the actual flavor that we're about to taste.
PAK: Yes. So we actually got flour from George Washington's Grist Mill. So they milled flour just for us.
BASH: And it's George Washington's Grist Mill is still --
PAK: In Mount Vernon.
BASH: Is still in use and operating.
PAK: Operating, and they make small batch cakes. Yes. So --
SANCHEZ: Oh, wow.
BASH: I don't want to dump it, but, look, that's what it looks like.
PAK: And inside we have Zante currants macerated in Kentucky bourbon.
BASH: Oh, wow.
PAK: And there are also spices. Cardamom, a little bit of nutmeg, cinnamon. Also Granny Smith apple, sauteed with vanilla beans, Swiss meringue buttercream.
BASH: Did you do all of the things you're describing?
PAK: So this one actually the Marine Corps chefs baked it yesterday.
BASH: OK.
PAK: So we had to make --
BASH: Right. This is definitely not ladylike. But whatever.
PAK: Is it cold?
BASH: It is actually cold.
PAK: OK, good. I can see the buttercream.
SANCHEZ: I'm going to go ahead and grab a generous portion. I hope that's OK.
PAK: Do it. Get in.
BASH: Oh, my gosh. That's so good.
PAK: And the recipe I studied with curator Paula Johnson from the Smithsonian. We studied recipes from the 18th century recipe books, and so I pulled a lot of inspiration from that book.
BASH: So this is -- this sort of kind of cake would have been eaten in 1776?
PAK: No. So I studied the ingredients.
BASH: OK. I see.
PAK: This is a newly developed recipe just for America's 250th. That kind of ties in the history and modern recipes for cakes.
BASH: Do you want to try it?
PAK: I'm OK. Thank you.
SANCHEZ: She doesn't want to get her hands dirty. I don't think.
BASH: Grace, this is really delicious.
PAK: Thank you so much. I've eaten a lot. That's why I'm like --
BASH: It's so good. OK.
SANCHEZ: It's amazing. I'm not, you know, a savant when it comes to taste. I'm not really sure what --
BASH: Here.
SANCHEZ: You know? Thank you. I appreciate that clutch. The towel comes in clutch, but it is amazing. We thank you for this.
PAK: Thank you.
SANCHEZ: Is there anywhere folks can find the recipe at home?
PAK: I'm actually going to be sharing the recipe online.
BASH: Oh, good.
PAK: Maybe you can put it on CNN.
SANCHEZ: A hundred percent. Folks can try this delicious cake.
PAK: That'd be great.
BASH: Definitely will.
SANCHEZ: Try it in less than 100 degree weather. That's highly recommended.
BASH: And maybe a fork, although I don't think you even need a fork.
SANCHEZ: You don't. You don't. Grace, thank you so much.
PAK: Thank you.
SANCHEZ: We're going to finish up with some of this. Let's go over to New York with Sara Sidner at the Empire State Building.
Sara, please tell me that it is cooler there than it is here.
SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR AND SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: It is not. But oyay, like, (INAUDIBLE), like, give me some of that cake. Like, por favor. Like you're just eating it with your hands, man? Like hand some over.
SANCHEZ: Well, here's some for you.
SIDNER: It's so good to see you, too. Thank you. But I can't get it through the screen. It is so good to see you two burning up like we're burning up. But it is beautiful here. It wouldn't be a true celebration of America without a nod to our founding fathers, of course. And our next guest can call one of them family. Thomas Jefferson's sixth -- count them -- great grandson live with me and Victor Blackwell, who's going to be standing right next to me in just a few minutes here in the sweltering heat on the 86th floor of the Empire State Building, next.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED CHILDREN: We want to say thank you for your services and happy birthday, America.
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: We are (INAUDIBLE) from Goldsboro, North Carolina.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[16:23:34]
SIDNER: We are live, Victor Blackwell and I, at the top of the Empire State Building on the 86th floor on the observation deck, today marking the day the Declaration of Independence was adopted by Congress, written by one of our most famous founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson. VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: But when he wrote those famous words,
all men are created equal, he also had enslaved Sally Hemings, and the two then had six children.
We're joined now by one of their descendants, Shannon LaNier, who is Jefferson's sixth great grandson.
Shannon, thank you for coming in to share this story. I remember the "Oprah" show episode where this was a revelation for the entire country, but this was not a revelation for you. You grew up hearing these stories.
SHANNON LANIER, 6TH GREAT-GRANDSON OF THOMAS JEFFERSON: Yes. I've known my entire life. And I remember as other people have in the family going to school and saying in second grade that Thomas Jefferson is my great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather. And the teacher, of course, saying, sit down and stop telling lies. But my mother came to school, corrected her the next day and made it better. But she also told us the importance of knowing who we are, believing that, and not letting others define us.
SIDNER: We're at a time right now when there's so much vitriol with one another. There are racial tensions as well that have existed and since time immemorial, since this country was built. How do you sort of square who you came from? Your people, both an enslaved woman and the slaver who was also a founding father, admired by the world?
[16:25:04]
LANIER: Well, I think it breaks down to how complicated this country is. And that also someone who was a white president can have a black descendant today. It is what this country has been built on, the diversity that we exist now. It's like the gumbo of America that we are better together, mixing all of those flavors together and getting people to understand that it's going to take a village to get us where we need to be as the United States of America, not just one set of people. It's going to take all of us working together.
BLACKWELL: Talk to me about this photo shoot that happened a couple of years ago, and it's more than just a photograph, but the decision you made in that moment, it was about a powdered wig. Not just that image, though.
LANIER: Right. The Smithsonian put together this project with Drew Gardner to see what descendants of living ancestors look like today. And so they had Thomas Jefferson and myself side by side, and I did not want to be Jefferson. I just wanted to hold a mirror to America to say, this is what our country has become because of slavery, because of people being enslaved, because of himself being a slave owner. But I still wanted to show.
I never thought I looked like the man, but then I saw that and it was astonishing. And I'm an influencer so to see it go viral over and over every year is just amazing to me to see how many people are like, yes, you look like him. I'm like, never thought that but OK.
SIDNER: The DNA doesn't really lie.
LANIER: Exactly. Do you need the DNA when you're looking at that?
SIDNER: Man, that picture looks awfully. When you were standing here, it's 250th independence year.
LANIER: Yes.
SIDNER: This country has been around for that long now, and we're a baby compared to a lot of countries around the world, in Europe and in, you know, in some places in Asia. But when you think about what needs to be done for us to be a more perfect union, what do you think about?
LANIER: I think that it's important for us to live out the words that Jefferson wrote, that all men are created equal. When he wrote those words back in 1776, it did not include people of color. It did not include women, only land-owning white men. So now it can be interpreted by all of us to really treat each other, our neighbors, our loved ones that message and spread that, that we all should be created equal.
We all can be treated equal, but it's up to us to continue. We were founded on in a battle. It's up to us to keep fighting to make this United States possible, to be what it was set out to be.
BLACKWELL: And what is the relationship, if any, between the descendants of Martha Jefferson and Sally Hemings?
LANIER: I just had lunch today with one of my Martha Jefferson cousins, Sal Pace, and it's a great opportunity for us to continue getting to know each other. It's taking growth. It's taking time for us to, you know, recognize each other as family and to grow as family. But we've been hanging out since the first time we met after that "Oprah Winfrey" show. And we've been growing as a family ever since.
Now, sometimes the media likes to -- your story of the black-white side, it's not. We're so mixed up in this family there's not a black- white side. There's just the Martha Jefferson side and Sally Hemings side. And it's great to see us coming together and recognizing each other as family. And I think that teaches the country that if this family can come together after being separated from slavery for so many years, this country still has an opportunity to come together to reconcile.
BLACKWELL: Sure.
LANIER: But we have to recognize that it happened first, not erase it from history. Recognize it happened, and then go through the healing process and reconciliation to get past it.
SIDNER: That is a beautiful way to say it. I know there's pictures, you guys have family reunions out there in Monticello. I visited. It's -- some people should go to really see how this family has handled themselves. It's a beautiful story and it's a road map for a lot of Americans to see how we can go forward together. LANIER: And that's why when I go around the country speaking to
different groups and organizations about this story, it's not just my family. This is our family story. This is -- so many other families have been touched by slavery, by different family members. It's an opportunity to others to say, we can unite, we can heal, we can get past our differences. Families today, not even speaking to each other. They don't remember why they're not speaking. It's like life is precious. Life is short. And just do as what the bible said and love thy neighbor. It's pretty simple.
BLACKWELL: Shannon LaNier, thank you so much for coming to share this story and your history with us. Happy Fourth.
LANIER: Thank you. You as well. Happy Fourth.
SIDNER: Thank you so much, Shannon.
We've got much more ahead for you, including an update from John Berman's "Red, White and Clue." He's still searching on that scavenger hunt through Boston. Can he crack clue number five? Find out next. He's looking.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED CHILDREN: We're Room 6122. From Columbus, Ohio. Happy birthday, America.
UNIDENTIFIED CHILDREN: We are 220048, from Oswego, Oregon. Happy birthday, America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[16:34:25]
BASH: It's the cradle of American independence, where Bostonians heard the Declaration of Independence read aloud for the first time. And John Berman is standing on that historic balcony at the old state house. Berman?
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: That's right. I am at the Old State House in Boston, Massachusetts, a building well over 250 years old. I want to give you a sense of just how much history took place here. So, with me is my friend of all day long, Kanisorn Wongsrichanalai, who is the chief historian of the Massachusetts Historical Society. So, tell me what happened here 250 years ago.
[16:35:01]
KANISORN WONGSRICHANALAI, PETER DRUMMEY CHIEF HISTORIAN, MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY: What did not happen here 250 years ago? This is a really important site in Boston history. Not only was the Boston Massacre site just over there, you can see it from here, but this is also where the crowd gathered on July 18, 1776, to hear the first reading of the Declaration of Independence. So, word of that went out to Bostonians from this very balcony.
BERMAN: So, it was July 18.
WONGSRICHANALAI: Yes.
BERMAN: -- you know, 1776, where someone came out here read to this group of people out here and said, you know, we hold these truths to be self-evident. And the crowd would have said, probably huzzah. Right?
WONGSRICHANALAI: Huzzah. Exactly right.
BERMAN: Huzzah.
WONGSRICHANALAI: Yes.
BERMAN: Huzzah. Now, they're standing out there wondering what that weird guy is up there doing. Why is he gesticulating? Although I do have a T-shirt there that I love that says 'The British Blew a 13 Colony Lead.'
I'm not sure we can see the T-shirt there, but give yourself a round of applause. Give yourself a round of applause for that. So, the Boston Massacre again happened across the street here.
WONGSRICHANALAI: Right.
BERMAN: That was 1770.
WONGSRICHANALAI: That's correct.
BERMAN: So, what actually happened on July 4 here in Boston? What was going on that day in 1776?
WONGSRICHANALAI: Well, July 1776 was actually not a great time to be in Boston because the town was shut down for a smallpox inoculation campaign. We have -- we have Abigail Adams writing about hearing the Declaration read from this balcony in the collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society. The problem is she doesn't live in Boston.
The only reason she's here is because she is being inoculated. She and all the kids, including future president John Quincy Adams, are undergoing a smallpox inoculation campaign. So, these are people who are very sick but are also very excited and also very anxious all at the same time. There's a lot of emotion in revolutionary Boston.
BERMAN: So, we talk about today being the 250th anniversary of something in Boston. It's actually the 250th anniversary of smallpox.
WONGSRICHANALAI: Smallpox.
BERMAN: Way to go. But most of Boston history happened, or the best stuff happened, in 1775, right? When you're talking about Patriots' Day, Paul Revere, Concord and Lexington, all that. All right, I am on this scavenger hunt through revolutionary Boston. We're calling it red, white, and clue.
And now I will get my clue for our next stop. Red, white, and clue. This is clue number five. These have been doozies, I have to say. It was -- OK, it was Longfellow's poem that told of Revere's ride to forewarn, but what if we asked you where the printed version was born?
What if you did ask me that? I would say that's the kind of silly question. But then I would say, OK, writing bookstore. We walk past it, I think, on the way here. The Old Corner Bookstore.
WONGSRICHANALAI: That's right.
BERMAN: All right. Next time you will see me will be at the Old Corner Bookstore, just around the corner from here. Dana, Boris, let's go back to you in Washington. In Washington, you should be thanking us up here. You wouldn't exist if it wasn't for us on this balcony right here.
BASH: That is a true fact. I love that he's back in his beloved New England. I would say that he's New England's favorite son. Definitely one of them. And it's great to have him. I'm not sure he can hear us, but John, thank you.
And we are going to keep the Boston theme. We're going to keep it going because up next, we've got the legendary conductor of the Boston Pops for a preview of tonight's star-studded event.
SANCHEZ: Stay with us. You're watching CNN SPECIAL COVERAGE of the Fourth in America, celebrating 250.
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[16:43:35]
BLACKWELL: Welcome back. Boston is gearing up for their annual Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular tonight. And this year, they're going all out for America's 250th anniversary.
SIDNER: To be expected, there's going to be a revolutionary-themed drone show. A huge fireworks display accompanied by a live orchestra. And you'll be able to catch all the action right here on CNN.
And who better to talk to than the conductor of the Boston Pops orchestra? We've been listening to the Boston Pops in our family for a really long time. Keith Lockhart is with the maestro. What can we expect from today that might be a bit different than, you know, in the years past? Like, you know, 249.
KEITH LOCKHART, CONDUCTOR, THE BOSTON POPS: Well, this is an amazing show. We've got so much to look forward to. Great guest artists, including country superstar Lainey Wilson, Trombone Shorty, Chance the Rapper, Broadway superstar Megan Hilty.
Two choruses, a wonderful fife and drum corps. An amazing drum and bugle corps. And, of course, at the center of it all, the amazing Boston Pops. By the way, we're being surrounded by helicopters here. So, that's what you're hearing in the background. A lot of excitement going on.
BLACKWELL: Yes, there's a lot of excitement here. We had a helicopter, NYPD flying by a few minutes ago.
SIDNER: Yes, we do.
BLACKWELL: Hey, Keith, there are also two new works this year. Tell me about those.
LOCKHART: Well, two commissions grace this year's program. One of them is a piece that will accompany live the fireworks at the end of the show. It's called Spirit of America, and it is by James Stevenson.
And the other is a commission of a poem called 'The Song of Massachusetts' by Reggie Gibson, the poet laureate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, accompanied by the music of Reggie of -- Carlos Simon, our composer in residence at the Pops.
[16:45:28]
SIDNER: You mentioned that you have Chancellor up, you've got Lainey Wilson, you've got Trombone Shorty, an amazing group. I just want to get from you what this feels like to you to be a part of this. You've been a part of the Boston Pops for so long, but this is such a special once-in-a-lifetime moment for you.
LOCKHART: This is the 31st time that I've done the Fourth of July here in Boston. And it doesn't get old because it's such an amazing civic celebration. But I will say that I remember watching this show with Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops in 1976 at the Bicentennial. I was 16 at the time.
SIDNER: Wow.
LOCKHART: Who would have ever thought that I would have the honor of being able to do the 250th?
BLACKWELL: Yes, 31 years at the helm of the Boston Pops. And I read your letter announcing the great show this year, in which you said, this is a moment not just for chest-thumping celebration, but also to lean into that more perfect union. We've got about 30 seconds left. Talk about that. The spirit of the show this year.
LOCKHART: Well, as always, I think that this holiday is an aspirational holiday. It's not only celebrating our triumphs. It's celebrating the idea of America and what we can become if we stick to the founding principles of this country. And we always try to make sure that we carry that forward, that, yes, it's a chance for celebration, but it's also a chance for some introspection.
BLACKWELL: All right. Keith Lockhart, we are looking forward to a fantastic show tonight. Thank you so much for being with us.
LOCKHART: Thanks so much. Happy Fourth.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR: What is it that you love so much about America?
ROBERT ST. PAUL, VETERAN, WORLD WAR II: Freedom.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACKWELL: A special tribute to a World War II hero. Elex Michaelson has the interview for us next.
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[16:52:41]
BASH: On this 250th birthday, part of what we're celebrating is American Heroes who fought for freedom.
SANCHEZ: It's so important to reflect on their sacrifice. CNN's Elex Michaelson spoke to a World War II veteran who was honored in Huntington Beach, California, today. And, Elex, this veteran is not just celebrating a milestone for the country, hitting 250. He's hitting a milestone himself. He's turning 100 this year.
BASH: Wow.
MICHAELSON: He is. He is amazing, as is this view. Welcome to Huntington Beach, California, known as Surf City, USA. The birth of surfing in the contiguous United States of America.
It's 74 degrees here. Almost no humidity. Nice ocean breeze. And as you can see, it's crowded here.
Hundreds of thousands of people have made their way to the beach. Many of them attended what is the largest Fourth of July parade West of the Mississippi. We've got some video of that.
I got to partake in it for a moment. Writing with George Washington across the Delaware. The parade has over 200 entrants in it. Many of them are honoring the military, including that special man that you mentioned.
His name is Robert Saint Paul. We've got some video of him riding in the parade. He actually landed on Okinawa. He was born in the same year as the 150th anniversary of America.
He's lived through the 200th birthday. And now, he's here at the 250th birthday. And I got a chance to talk to him.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAELSON: What is it that you love so much about America?
ST. PAUL: Freedom. I've driven across country a dozen times, coast to coast. Get stopped a couple of times by the highway patrol. But other than that, nobody ever stops.
MICHAELSON: Yes.
ST. PAUL: You know, it's a great country.
MICHAELSON: What is your favorite part of a day like today?
ST. PAUL: As I told somebody else, it's these little kids. They just want to give me a high-five. That's worth every minute in the parade.
MICHAELSON: Yes. Well, thank you for your service. And can I give you a high-five?
ST. PAUL: Well done.
[16:55:03]
MICHAELSON: I loved meeting him. Love meeting these people out here as well who are on the pier in Huntington Beach. They are getting ready for one of the biggest fireworks shows in the entire West Coast, which is going to be happening right over the ocean here.
The only one bigger is in San Diego, the Big Bay Boom. And we will be joining you from there a little bit later here on CNN. For now, Boris, Dana, back to you.
BASH: OK, two things. Number one, we're landlocked. So, seeing you with your feet in the Pacific, it's like -- you know, it's a little tough.
But more importantly, that veteran -- he's 100? He looks like he's way younger. And what a spectacular man.
MICHAELSON: Yes.
BASH: And it was wonderful that you got to speak with him.
SANCHEZ: And that so many little kids were eager to high-five him.
MICHAELSON: Unbelievably sharp.
SANCHEZ: Yes. Elex Michaelson, we won't ask you what you did to get those beads. Thank you very much. From the beach. So lucky to be at the beach right now.
BASH: Stay with us. We've got another hour of our special Fourth of July coverage coming up next.
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