Art Garfunkel Independence Day: Family History for the 250th Anniversary of the United States

The Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor with a passing cargo ship and the Manhattan skyline in the background – for generations a symbol of freedom, hope, and new beginnings in the United States.

Ellis Island in February 2025, photographed from the Staten Island Ferry during restoration work. The historic immigration station remains a symbol of hope and new beginnings for millions of immigrants to this day.

On July 4, 2026, the United States will celebrate the 250th anniversary of its independence.

This historic milestone not only commemorates the founding of the nation, but also the millions of immigrants who have shaped America across generations.

The family history of Art Garfunkel is closely connected to this broader story. His Jewish ancestors came from what was then Bessarabia, a region that today is largely part of the Republic of Moldova. In search of safety, freedom, and better opportunities, they emigrated to the United States in the early 20th century and settled in New York.

Like many Jewish families who fled persecution, poverty, and a lack of prospects in Eastern Europe, Garfunkel’s ancestors also found in America the chance for a new beginning. From this immigration story, a family journey unfolded over generations that ultimately helped make Art Garfunkel’s artistic career possible.

His family history stands as an example of the diversity of the United States—a country built and shaped by people of many different backgrounds.

Especially on the 250th Independence Day, it serves as a reminder of how closely freedom, hope, and the courage for a new beginning are connected.

To mark the anniversary of Independence Day, Art Garfunkel wishes all people in the United States a peaceful holiday and thanks his fans around the world for their decades of loyalty.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial, taken in February 2025. The landmark in the Black Hills of South Dakota features the carved portraits of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.