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. Weaving together ethical, religious, and sociopolitical threads of argument, Douglass points out the Use 4th of July quotes to remember the reason for the holiday, create a sparkling social media post or send Independence wishes to friends and family. | SUCCESS What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days of the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is a constant victim. 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?” Find the quotes you need in Frederick Douglass's What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?, sortable by theme, character, or chapter. From the creators of SparkNotes. In July of 1852, Frederick Douglass delivered a speech titled “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?,” a call for the promise of liberty be applied equally to all Americans. 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. Funny 4th of July Quotes. While Independence Day is a time for reflection, it’s also about enjoying good food, fireworks, and freedom with a sense of fun. These humorous 4th of July quotes bring a smile while still capturing the spirit of the holiday. “It’s a party in the U.S.A.” – Miley Cyrus “Happy 4th of July! Get ready to explore What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July? and its meaning. Our full analysis and study guide provides an even deeper dive with character analysis and quotes explained to help you discover the complexity and beauty of this book. 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. How does "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" relate to the Declaration of Independence? Douglass's speech objects to several points made within the Declaration of Independence. Douglass's speech quotes the Declaration of Independence liberally and uses it to support every claim. You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. Given how cruelly slaves are deprived of their liberty, then, it makes sense that Douglass even views the invitation to give a Fourth of July speech as an insult—since he, as a former slave, also feels that his own experiences are mocked by an American holiday that celebrates freedom. > 50 Best Motivational Quotes for Work Success > 53 Best Gratitude Quotes. There you have them. The above are some of the best inspirational patriotic quotes you can read and share on the 4th of July to celebrate our independence. Do you feel the patriotic spirit yet? The 4th of July is a special day for all the people of the United States. “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” is a speech by abolitionist Frederick Douglass. Douglass, who himself escaped enslavement years before, gave the speech on July 5, 1852 at an Independence Day celebration in Rochester, New York. This text is part of the Teaching Hard History Text Library. 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. “At the very moment that they are thanking God for the enjoyment of civil and religious liberty, and for the right to worship God according to the dictates of their own consciences, they are utterly silent in respect to a law which robs religion of its chief significance, and makes it utterly worthless to a world lying in wickedness. “This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn.” On July 5, 1852, more than 170 years ago, a man who had once been enslaved stood before a hall full of white abolitionists in Rochester, New York. His name was Frederick Douglass, and he had been invited to speak at an Independence Day event. When Douglass delivered his famous “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro” address before an audience at Corinthian Hall in Rochester, New York, on July 5, 1852, he was issuing “ a "This fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn. To drag a man in fetters into the grand illuminated temple of liberty, and call upon him to join you in joyous anthems, were inhuman mockery and sacrilegious irony" (68).
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |