Frederick Douglass’, “What To the Slave Is the Fourth of July?

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June 26, 2024 Story by: Editor

Frederick Douglass (1818–1895), a former enslaved person who rose to prominence as a leading abolitionist orator in the pre-Civil War era, remains a towering figure in American history. His advocacy for the emancipation of enslaved African Americans during the Civil War and his subsequent leadership in the post-war period solidified his status as one of the most influential African American leaders of his time.

The speech now famously known as "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" was delivered on July 5, 1852, at an event hosted by the Rochester Ladies' Anti-Slavery Society in Rochester, New York. Douglass, who had been residing in Rochester while editing an abolitionist newspaper, was invited to speak amidst a backdrop of heightened national tension over slavery.

In the early 1850s, debates over slavery were fervent and widespread. The Compromise of 1850 had failed to quell tensions surrounding the admission of new slaveholding states to the Union, and the Fugitive Slave Act , part of that compromise, intensified Northern resentment. Harriet Beecher Stowe's groundbreaking novel, "Uncle Tom's Cabin," published months earlier, had sparked national dialogue by vividly portraying the harsh realities of slavery.

Douglass's speech, delivered against this tumultuous backdrop, challenged the hypocrisy of celebrating American independence while millions of African Americans remained enslaved. His powerful oratory dissected the contradictions between the ideals of freedom and equality professed by the nation and the stark realities of bondage endured by Black Americans.

For deeper insights into Douglass's life and evolving thoughts during this critical period, resources such as the Frederick Douglass Papers at the Library of Congress offer a comprehensive look at his writings and activism.

Historians like Yale's David Blight have analyzed Douglass's speech within the broader historical context of antebellum America, discussing its profound impact on the abolitionist movement and its enduring relevance in understanding the complexities of race and freedom in American history.

For further exploration of Douglass's pivotal speech and its implications, listeners can delve into discussions on platforms like the podcast BackStory with the American History Guys, where episodes such as "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" delve into the significance of Douglass's words and their resonance in today's discussions on race and justice. Source: EDSITEment!

Below is an edited version of Douglass's speech. The headings in brackets have been added by the editor to help guide your reading, and the questions at the end of each section are also editor's additions. They are not part of the original speech. Read each section and answer the questions that follow.

Here's Douglass's speech shared on Youtube The above audio reading by actor Ossie Davis can be used alongside the full text of Frederick Douglass's speech delivered on July 5, 1852 at Corinthian Hall to the Rochester Ladies' Anti-Slavery Society in Rochester, New York.