President Obama said the 4th of July means more than hotdogs, burgers and fireworks, it also means working to fix America's "imperfections" and to "keep on fighting on behalf of extending that freedom to all people and not just some."
The president, speaking Monday evening at the White House, said the fight for equality must be fought "every single day."
"That story of independence is not something that happens and then we just put away," Obama said. "It's something that we have to fight for every single day. It's something that we have to nurture, and we have to spread the word, and we have to work on."
"And it involves us respecting each other," he continued. "And it involves us recognizing that there are still people in this country who are going hungry -- and they're not free because of that. There are still people in this country who can't find work -- and freedom without the ability to contribute to society and put a roof over your head or look after your family, that's not yet what we aim for."
In order for America to be truly free, Obama said, everybody must get "a fair shot" and "every child has a good education.
"That is what we should be striving for on Independence Day," he suggested.