Douglass discusses the Fourth of July, which he describes as the American people’s anniversary of political freedom, comparing it to Passover for the Jewish people. He also discusses how the nation’s birthday is a reminder that it is still young: only 76 years old, which Douglass describes as the “period of childhood” for a nation. In “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” Frederick Douglass tried not only to convince people of the wrongfulness of slavery but also to change people's minds about the abilities and intelligence of African Americans. What to the Slave is the Fourth of July, also known as the “Fourth of July Speech” is a public oratory piece Frederick Douglass gave at the Corinthian Hall in Rochester, New York on an invitation by the Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society on July 5, 1852, to celebrate 76 years of the American independence. Douglass returns to assessing the Fourth of July from the slave’s point of view. To the slave, he explains, the Fourth of July is an insult that reveals to him just how much freedom he lacks. The Fourth of July’s jubilant celebrations are a mere smokescreen for the true brutality of America, which allows slavery to continue. In the 1850s abolition was not a widely embraced movement in the United States. It was considered radical, extreme, and dangerous. In “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” Frederick Douglass sought not only to convince people of the wrongfulness of slavery but also to make abolition more acceptable to Northern whites. Douglass delivered on July 5, 1852, in which he asked, “What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July?” The first four lessons require students to read excerpts from the speech “like a detective .” Through summary organizers, practice, and discussion, they will master the technique of identifying keywords, creating summaries of Behold the practical operation of this internal slave-trade, the American slave-trade, sustained by American politics and American religion. Here you will see men and women, reared like swine, for the market. What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July? " [1][2] was a speech delivered by Frederick Douglass on July 5, 1852, at Corinthian Hall in Rochester, New York, at a meeting organized by the Rochester Ladies' Anti-Slavery Society. [3] In the address, Douglass states that positive statements about perceived American values, such as liberty, citizenship, and Frederick Douglass' "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July" (Summary)#frederickdouglass #literatureandtheory #africanamerican #africanamericanliterature #b In July 2021, shortly before the speech’s 169th anniversary and a year after the summer 2020 protests against anti-Black police brutality, NPR invited five of Frederick Douglass’s descendants to read excerpts from “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” What to the Slave is the Fourth of July? Summary. Douglass opens his speech by introducing himself to the crowd and discussing the Fourth of July. He describes the holiday as the anniversary of America’s freedom and reflects on how the country’s young age means that it still has the potential to either become a great nation or wither away. What to the Slave is the Fourth of July? study guide contains a biography of Frederick Douglass, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. . . . I will not enlarge further on your national inconsistencies. On July 5, 1852, Frederick Douglass gave a keynote address at an Independence Day celebration and asked, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” Douglass was a powerful orator, often traveling six months out of the year to give lectures on abolition. Douglass's central goal in What to the Slave is the Fourth of July? is to unveil American hypocrisy in its ongoing participation in an internal slave trade. In the speech, he praises both the founding fathers of the United States and Christian ideology to which many Americans subscribed. Douglass delivered this speech to the Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society of Rochester, New York on the meaning and significance of the Fourth of July to the slave. Speaking on July 5, the day after Independence Day (something Douglass had insisted upon), and before a predominantly white audience, Douglass eloquently explained why the Fourth of July Frederick Douglass’s “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” is a famous speech because of its strong arguments for the abolition of slavery and for its thoughtful rhetorical approach to convincing a wealthy White audience that the institution of slavery goes against the values they hold dear. The crux of the speech and its most cited Complete summary of What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?. eNotes plot summaries cover all the significant action of What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?. Frederick Douglass’s “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” is a deeply moving and extraordinarily impactful speech that transcends time. In it, Douglass artfully captures the contradictions inherent in a nation that professes freedom while allowing millions to suffer in bondage. In “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?,” otherwise known as “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro,” Frederick Douglass outlines a careful argument against the institution of slavery and more specifically the Fugitive Slave Act.
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