The Continental Congress first publicly read the Declaration of Independence on July 8, 1776.
The first public readings took place at noon in three locations: Philadelphia, Trenton in New Jersey, and Easton in Pennsylvania. These readings followed the Declaration’s adoption on July 4 and its printing in broadside form, allowing the new political statement to reach ordinary residents as well as officials.
Philadelphia’s reading occurred at the Pennsylvania State House, later known as Independence Hall. In Trenton, the document was read at the courthouse, while Easton’s reading took place at the county courthouse. The simultaneous readings helped turn a congressional decision into a public announcement.
The event should not be confused with the later signing of the engrossed parchment, which historians generally place primarily on August 2. Adoption, publication, public reading, and signing were separate stages.