Independence Day, known colloquially as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the Declaration of Independence, which was ratified by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States of America. From 1776 to the present day, July 4 has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with festivities including fireworks, parades and concerts.
Photojournalist Allen J. Schaben began his career at the Los Angeles Times shortly after he earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism with minors in art and psychology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1994.
Kent Nishimura is a former staff photographer with the Los Angeles Times, based in Washington, D.C. Born in Taiwan, Nishimura immigrated to the United States, grew up in Hawaii and is a graduate of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. His work has been recognized by Pictures of the Year International, the National Headliner Awards, the White House News Photographers Assn. and the National Press Photographers Assn., among others. He has worked on staff at newspapers across the United States and freelanced for many national and international publications before joining The Times in 2017.