Skip to main content

10 Fourth of July movies your family will salute

On the Fourth of July, Americans stand as one to celebrate all that is best about this country. Along with fireworks, barbecues, and parades, Fourth of July movies can rally the entire family with inspiring stories of real-life American heroes. We’ve rounded up a star-spangled list of family classics that are sure to get everyone in the spirit of Independence Day.

Warner Bros. Pictures

Old Glory

Let’s start with something short and sweet. In this 1938 Porky Pig cartoon (available on YouTube), Uncle Sam himself gives a dreaming Porky Pig an American history lesson that inspires him to learn the Pledge of Allegiance.

Columbia Pictures

1776

Decades before Hamilton, this spirited Tony Award-winning musical told the stirring (and toe-tapping) story of how John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson led the charge for America’s independence from England. For a story that is 245 years old, the issues it wrestles with (the abolition of slavery, states rights, the role of the federal government) are still relevant. Plus, it’s got a good beat and you can dance to it.

Disney

Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier and Johnny Tremain

America’s pioneer and patriotic spirit play out in this recommended Disney double-feature. Fess Parker became America’s first American idol when he started as Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter. The theme song (“Born on a Mountaintop on Tennessee…”) was a chart-topping bestseller, and Parker’s signature coonskin cap became the fashion statement for kids who acted out Crockett’s rustic adventures in their backyards. Johnny Tremain, based on the award-winning children’s book, is set in Boston just prior to the American Revolution. The rousing story finds young Johnny becoming involved with the Sons of Liberty and playing a role in the Boston Tea Party, Paul Revere’s ride, and the pivotal battles at Lexington and Concord.

20th Century Fox

The Sandlot

Ain’t that America: In 1962, a group of kids from different backgrounds bond over their daily game of baseball in the neighborhood sandlot. The highlight of this nostalgic cult favorite is a night game played on the Fourth of July with a magnificent fireworks display in the background and Ray Charles on the soundtrack.

Universal Pictures

Seabiscuit

A horse is a horse (of course, of course), unless that horse is the famous Seabiscuit, whose American Triple Crown speed records still stand. A thoroughbred cast, Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper, and Tobey Maguire, star as Seabiscuit’s owner, trainer, and jockey, who put all their faith in this underdog (or is that underhorse?), whose heroics on the track inspired Americans during the Depression. A reminder that not all American heroes have just two legs.

Disney

Miracle

Do you believe in miracles? The United States hadn’t won the Olympic Gold Medal in hockey since 1960. Two decades later, coach Herb Brooks assembled a team to take on the dominating Soviets. Young and untested, they were hardly a dream team, but the U.S.A. on the front of their jerseys became more important than their own names on the back.

Apollo 13

Everyone quotes “Houston, we have a problem,” but the best line in Ron Howard’s Oscar-nominated film about the 1970 aborted mission to the moon is really this: “Failure is not an option.” The film’s real heroes are the ground crew who will not rest until they devise solutions on the fly that will bring astronauts Jim Lovell, John Swigert, and Fred Haise safely home.

20th Century Fox

Hidden Figures

This Best Picture nominee stars Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monae as Katherine Goble Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, three pioneering African-American women, who, despite the racism and segregation of the time, made long-unsung contributions that helped launch America into the Space Race.

Warner Bros.

Yankee Doodle Dandy

We began and end with the flag, and one of its greatest champions as an indestructible symbol of our country. James Cagney won an Oscar as George M. Cohan, who composed such patriotic standards as “You’re a Grand Old Flag” and “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” His definition of America is as good as any: “Where else in the world today,” he asks President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, “could a plain guy like me come in and talk things over with the head man?”

Watching any one of these July 4th movies with your family is a wonderful way to celebrate our country, and as a bonus, you’ll get to spend a couple of hours of quality time together, as well. No matter how you wind up celebrating the 4th, we wish you a very happy one.

Editors' Recommendations

Donald Liebenson
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Expand your child’s collection and support these Black-owned toy companies this February and beyond
Find your kid's next favorite toy from one of these Black-owned brands
Two toddlers playing with toys on a table

Kids like the toy, not the label, and they don't care who made it. But adults need to help children understand that where the product comes from is as important as how much they like it. We all need to get better at paying more attention to the products we buy. Discuss these Black-owned toy brands with your child and see what items they'd like to add to their toy collection.

For the puzzle-solving geniuses
Puzzle Huddle
Puzzle Huddle is a relatively new company that Matthew Goins started in 2018 in response to the lack of diversity in the puzzle space. Having small children, he and his wife wanted to even the playing field. In just a few short years, Puzzle Huddle went from creating a variety of puzzles in various sizes to adding products like pillows. throw blankets, T-shirts, coloring books, and canvases.
The Magnus Company
The Magnus Company might be a brand-new addition to the puzzle world, but it's a female- and Black-owned business to have on your radar. It pairs its puzzles with plush dolls that you could get together or separately, which is an adorable touch.
For kids who want dolls to make playtime fun
The Fresh Dolls
Created by mother and former professor Dr. Lisa, The Fresh Dolls lets boys and girls find the perfect unique doll for their personality. You'll find over 65 different dolls for your child to pick their favorite, with styles for younger and older kids. The company also sells cool adult coloring books for you and your child to do together.
Natural Girls United
The Natural Girls United dolls celebrate all hair types. Not only are the dolls' clothes handmade, but the beautiful hair and various skin tones will give every child a chance to find a doll like them. They are truly works of art.

Read more
Movies and shows to binge with your teen for Black History Month
Black History Month movies to start conversations with your teen
Black History Month sign

Whether your kids go to school, or you homeschool them, it's important to take time to discuss topics for Black History Month at home. If you don't know how to get conversations started with your teens, since it should be a more in-depth subject matter, it could be easier to watch a show and dive into specific topics after. We'll break down shows and movies to watch during Black History Month that will segue into great conversations with your teen.

Funny show/movie to watch
Abbott Elementary
If you have ever been a teacher, a sub, a parent volunteer in a classroom, or you have kids, you need to watch Abbott Elementary. At the heart is a story about a predominately Black school in Philadelphia and the lengths teachers and principals have to go to get supplies and funding for their students in a low-income, minority public school system.
A Black Lady Sketch Show
Think SNL, but with powerful and funny females instead. The only thing with A Black Lady Sketch Show is that some skits and episodes have language and scenes you may find inappropriate for your younger teen, depending on your values. For this one, give an episode a watch first and see if you're OK with it. But there are countless sketches that are amazing. A perfect discussion for older teens is why shows like SNL aren't as diverse as they should be.
Strong Black female story
Hidden Figures
We love when there's a true story to research when watching a movie. Hidden Figures is based on the book about the Black women responsible for NASA's success in the 1960s during the Cold War. This would be a great one to watch and then look up the three main women and see how accurately their stories were told. Your teens could also read the book and see how it varied from the movie for a more in-depth discussion of which portrayed the truth more accurately.
A Ballerina's Tale
If you have teens that love dance, the story of the first Black principal dancer in the American Ballet Theatre will inspire them. A Ballerina's Tale follows Misty Copeland's rise to break the 78-year record of all-white principal dancers, and the Black ballerinas that paved the way for Misty. Even if your teenager doesn't love dance, the story is a great pick-me-up and lesson on not giving in or letting others put you in a specific box.
Serious movie to watch
A Time to Kill
Another movie based on a book loosely based on factual events, A Time to Kill tells the story of a Black man on trial for murdering the white men who violently attacked and then attempted to murder his daughter. Set in a mostly white town in Mississippi in the 1980s, the story fictionalizes the real events that author John Grisham read about in the newspaper at the time.
13th
13th is for teens who appreciate documentaries. It explores the rate of incarceration of Black people over other races, the rise of incarceration versus the decline of overall crime, legalized segregation, and many other important topics that need to be discussed in the U.S. these days. It was directed and written by Ava DuVernay, who also directed Selma.
Political show/movie to watch
Selma
If your teen is near or is of voting age, you need to introduce Selma to them. The story follows Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on his journey to Selma, Alabama, in a march to fight for the right for Black voters to cast their ballots anywhere, even in a segregated system. Though director Ava DuVernay did her research for historical accuracy, this would be another great movie to compare to the textbooks.
When They See Us
Yes, another one by Ava DuVernay (seriously, everyone needs to watch her entire filmography). When They See Us explores the story of five Black and Latino men accused, tried, and convicted for crimes they didn't commit against a white woman. It's broken up into four parts, so you could spread it out and watch one a week.

Read more
Ring in the new year with kids – and these tips to make it fun for all
Have an exciting New Year's Eve with kids using these tips
Happy New Year sign with confetti

When you have children, celebrating New Year’s Eve requires a bit more planning. Perhaps more planning than it makes it worth it to leave the house. To help, we’ve thought of some ideas to make your kids feel involved whether you plan on going out, inviting friends over, or just enjoying quality family-only time at home. Crafting New Year’s Eve traditions with your kids is something to look forward to every year.

Even if you do decide to leave the house for your party plans, incorporate some of the following activities for your little ones before you go. Your kids will get to share a special moment with you, and that will mean more to them than waiting up until midnight, which they might not make it to, anyway. So, before the kiddos fall asleep, start one of these traditions on New Year's Eve with the kids.

Read more