August 21, 1776

On the first Monday in August, the Declaration of Independence was read aloud in Richmond, Virginia, “before a large concourse of respectable freeholders of Henrico county, and upwards of 200 of the militia, who assembled on that grand occasion.” The newspaper report printed in Philadelphia later in the month estimated a crowd of nearly 1,000 people in Richmond. They cheered the Declaration with “universal shouts of joy.” In the evening, “the town was illuminated” and the local committee drank “many patriotic toasts.”

The Pennsylvania Journal; and the Weekly Advertiser
Printed by William and Thomas Bradford

WILLIAMSBURG, (Virginia) August 10.
[...]
On Monday last, being court day, the Declaration of Independence was publicly proclaimed in the town of Richmond, before a large concourse of respectable freeholders of Henrico county, and upwards of 200 of the militia, who assembled on that grand occasion. It was received with universal shouts of joy, and re-echoed by three volleys of small arms: The same evening the town was illuminated, and the members of the Committee held a club, when many patriotic toasts were drank. Although there were near 1000 people present, the whole was conducted with the utmost decorum, and the satisfaction visible in every countenance sufficiently evinces their determination to support it with their lives and fortunes.