<Li> In 1783, Salem, North Carolina held a celebration with a challenging music program assembled by Johann Friedrich Peter entitled The Psalm of Joy . The town claims to be the first public July 4 event, as it was carefully documented by the Moravian Church, and there are no government records of any earlier celebrations . </Li> <Li> In 1870, the U.S. Congress made Independence Day an unpaid holiday for federal employees . </Li> <Li> In 1938, Congress changed Independence Day to a paid federal holiday . </Li> <P> Independence Day is a national holiday marked by patriotic displays . Similar to other summer - themed events, Independence Day celebrations often take place outdoors . According to 5 U.S.C. § 6103, Independence Day is a federal holiday, so all non-essential federal institutions (such as the postal service and federal courts) are closed on that day . Many politicians make it a point on this day to appear at a public event to praise the nation's heritage, laws, history, society, and people . </P>

When did july 4 become a federal holiday