"I will not equivocate; I will not excuse"; I will use the severest language I can command; and yet not one word shall escape me that any man, whose judgment is not blinded by prejudice, or who is not at heart a slaveholder, shall not confess to be right and just. Douglass's own sons, Lewis and Charles, became two of the first to volunteer for the 54th, which ultimately comprised more than 1,000 men from 15 Northern states. Wind, steam, and lightning are its chartered agents. In the early 1850s, tensions over slavery were high across the county. He was invited to give a fourth of July speech by the Ladies Anti-Slavery Society of Rochester. "So don't get in our way because if you do, we're going to stand up, we're going to organize and we're going to speak up and . Frederick Douglass delivered 'best Fourth of July speech in American Pride and patriotism, not less than gratitude, prompt you to celebrate and to hold it in perpetual remembrance. What are these? To drag a man in fetters into the grand illuminated temple of liberty and call upon him to join you in joyous anthems, is inhuman mockery. No! His friend Julia Griffith, the treasurer of the Rochester group that invited him to give the 1852 speech, was one of the people helping him fund-raise to keep the paper alive. They were peace men; but they preferred revolution to peaceful submission to bondage. Within twenty years Douglass was the one of the most famous men in the United Statesauthor of two widely read memoirs and an orator who commanded among the highest speaking fees in the nation. I will use the severest language I can command; and yet not one word shall escape me that any man, whose judgment is not blinded by prejudice, or who is not at heart a slaveholder, shall not confess to be right and just. When none on earth It is admitted in the fact that Southern statute books are covered with enactments forbidding, under severe fines and penalties, the teaching of the slave to read or to write. We convened a group of interested parties, met a few times over a couple of months, and decided to launch an event on the Common. May he not hope that high lessons of wisdom, of justice and of truth, will yet give direction to her destiny? My subject, then fellow-citizens, is AMERICAN SLAVERY. What point in the anti-slavery creed would you have me argue? But, he said, speaking more than a decade before slavery was ended nationally, a lot of work still needed to be done so that all citizens can enjoy life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Above your national, tumultuous joy the July 4th celebrations of white Americans were the mournful wails of millions whose heavy chains are, today, rendered more intolerable by the jubilee shouts that reach them.. While drawing encouragement from the Declaration of Independence, the great principles it contains, and the genius of American Institutions, my spirit is also cheered by the obvious tendencies of the age. Paul Marcus, then the director of Community Change, and I contacted another colleague, David Tebaldi, then executive director of the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities (now MassHumanities) about sponsoring a public reading. I dont know what kind of person he was or how he thought of himself. Fredrick Douglas Flashcards | Quizlet He does some of his greatest writing in early 1850s during this terrible personal crisis, Blight says, and right there in the middle of it comes the greatest speech hes ever delivered, of the hundreds of speeches he delivered in his life.. We feel the pain and anguish ever more severely and it is much harder to find hope for the future. Thats a tough one for me. Magazines, 4,000 African Americans paraded down Broadway in New York City, Or create a free account to access more articles, 'What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July? At the time of the delivery of this speech, Douglass had been living in Rochester, New York for several years editing a weekly abolitionist newspaper. When from their galling chains set free, The subject has been handled with masterly power by Lysander Spooner, Esq., by William Goodell, by Samuel E. Sewall, Esq., and last, though not least, by Gerritt Smith, Esq. What is the main message of Douglass's speech? But its quite another to change the way you see yourself and to grow into a person deeply committed to long-term interracial coalition building. Neither group had any idea what would be going on when they happened by and I was truly heartened that both groups seemed to be intrigued and listening closely. 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. Understanding contradictions such as this is critical for honest conversation. Formerly . I think he would look at the ongoing gulf between our ideals and reality and might refer back to some of his own analysis to understand the current contradictions. 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. Intelligence is penetrating the darkest corners of the globe. and am I, therefore, called upon to bring our humble offering to the national altar, and to confess the benefits and express devout gratitude for the blessings resulting from your independence to us?, Would to God, both for your sakes and ours, that an affirmative answer could be truthfully returned to these questions! Interview was lightly edited for clarity and length. The report is remembered for its conclusion that: Our nation is moving toward two societies, one black, one whiteseparate and unequal.. As with rivers so with nations. God speed the day when human bloodShall cease to flow!In every clime be understood,The claims of human brotherhood,And each return for evil, good,Not blow for blow;That day will come all feuds to end.And change into a faithful friendEach foe. There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices, more shocking and bloody, than are the people of these United States, at this very hour. "My subject, then fellow citizens," says Douglass, "is American slavery ." How unlike the politicians of an hour! It does not often happen to a nation to raise, at one time, such a number of truly great men. I shall see this day and its popular characteristics from the slave's point of view. Not least since the racism that made slavery endures. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital This speech is now remembered as oneof Douglass' most poignant. Indeed, in one of the most timeless passages in the speech, Douglass insists that the character and conduct of this nation never looked blacker to me than on this 4th of July, adding as if speaking today, Whether we turn to the declarations of the past, or to the professions of the present, the conduct of the nation seems equally hideous and revolting. And from his prison-house, the thrall Standing with God and the crushed and bleeding slave on this occasion, I will, in the name of humanity which is outraged, in the name of liberty which is fettered, in the name of the constitution and the Bible which are disregarded and trampled upon, dare to call in question and to denounce, with all the emphasis I can command, everything that serves to perpetuate slavery the great sin and shame of America! Each foe. Fellow-citizens! There is not time now to argue the constitutional question at lengthnor have I the ability to discuss it as it ought to be discussed. Many historians consider this effort to be Douglass's finest oration, and arguably one of the most powerful American political speeches ever written. Its an extraordinary political moment.. There is hope in the thought, and hope is much needed, under the dark clouds which lower above the horizon. 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. Why does he do this? What will this years event be like? By equal birth! I doubt even Douglass could have anticipated the technology we have or its uses. The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not by me. In the orations most famous passages, Douglass discussed what it felt like to see such festivities and to know independence was not a given for people like him: What have I, or those I represent, to do with your national independence? Frederick Douglas's Speech In What To The Slave Is The | Bartleby Your republican politics are flagrantly inconsistent. [Under the Act] it became illegal not to arrest and return runaway slaves. I generally try to avoid speculating about current or historical figures I dont know. The sunlight that brought life and healing to you, has brought stripes and death to me. The existence of slavery in this country brands your republicanism as a sham, your humanity as a base pretense, and your Christianity as a lie. The testimony of Senator Breese, Lewis Cass, and many others that might be named, who are everywhere esteemed as sound lawyers, so regard the constitution. You may rejoice, I must mourn. I am not included within the pale of glorious anniversary! We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake. Who so obdurate and dead to the claims of gratitude, that would not thankfully acknowledge such priceless benefits? Cling to this day cling to it, and to its principles, with the grasp of a storm-tossed mariner to a spar at midnight. Then would my task be light, and my burden easy and delightful. Is it to be settled by the rules of logic and argumentation, as a matter beset with great difficulty, involving a doubtful application of the principle of justice, hard to be understood? Your fathers staked their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor, on the cause of their country. Frederick Douglass's 4th of July speech still burns with his spirit The main message of Douglass's speech is that it is hypocritical to celebrate the Fourth of July as a day of freedom and independence while slaves are not independent nor do they have freedom. What have I, or those I represent, to do with your national independence? Sign up for daily emails to get the latest Harvardnews. And each return for evil, good, This power fuels modern abolition movements, whether of human trafficking, prison or police. There is blasphemy in the thought. I am not included within the pale of glorious anniversary! What is this but the acknowledgment that the slave is a moral, intellectual, and responsible being? At a time like this, scorching irony, not convincing argument, is needed. Convicted terrorists will be banned from taking a leading role in religious services and face more rigorous checks for extremist literature. GAZETTE: This is your second year as host of Reading Frederick Douglass Together in Somerville. Jim Wallace, Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of James H Wallace Jr. Frederick Douglass' Fifth of July Speech Asks 'What to the Slave is the Mark them! Like brutes no more. Identify these elements. The manhood of the slave is conceded. A horrible reptile is coiled up in your nations bosom; the venomous creature is nursing at the tender breast of your youthful republic; for the love of God, tear away, and fling from you the hideous monster, and let the weight of twenty millions crush and destroy it forever! Cambridge, MA 02138, 2022 The President and Fellows of Harvard College, International Legal Studies & Opportunities, Syllabi, Exam and Course Evaluation Archive, Sign Up for the Harvard Law Today Newsletter, Consumer Information (ABA Required Disclosures). Based on what I know of his writings, however, I think he would have very mixed feelings about the progress we have made. The fight for independence was a long, hard battle. He who will, intelligently, lay down his life for his country, is a man whom it is not in human nature to despise. In this speech, he called out the "hypocrisy of the nation" (Douglass), questioning the nation's . It were considered radical, extreme, and risky. Douglass's purpose in writing his Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave was to provide a first-hand account of the horrors of slavery and thereby support the. Uncle Toms Cabin had just been published that spring and was taking the country by storm. What was the main point of Frederick Douglass speech? I scout the idea that the question of the constitutionality or unconstitutionality of slavery is not a question for the people. Rhetorical Analysis Of Frederick Douglass Speech Whether we turn to the declarations of the past, or to the professions of the present, the conduct of the nation seems equally hideous and revolting. I will not. Frederick Douglass Museum in Rochester NY: Fundraising underway Of Douglass's many speeches, "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" was perhaps one of the most well-known. They are not part of the original. There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of the United States, at this very hour. What is surprising about this appeal? There are seventy-two crimes in the State of Virginia which, if committed by a black man (no matter how ignorant he be), subject him to the punishment of death; while only two of the same crimes will subject a white man to the like punishment. But, while the river may not be turned aside, it may dry up, and leave nothing behind but the withered branch, and the unsightly rock, to howl in the abyss-sweeping wind, the sad tale of departed glory. The message wasnt new Douglass promoted those ideas year-round but Blight says he knew the Fourth of July was a good hook, and expected the speech to be a hit. What is the main message of Douglass's speech? That assembly, which represented property-owning men, took place on July 30, 1619. But we also need to invest as a city and as a society into reading and learning more about the present realities of oppressed peoples. He concedes, however, that the main purpose of his speech is not to give praise and thanks to these men, for he says that the deeds of those patriots are well known. He was invited to give a fourth of July speech by the Ladies Anti-Slavery Society of Rochester. What is the main message of Douglass's speech? The fight for Douglass printed the speech in his newspaper, Frederick Douglass' Paper, and published 700 copies of it in pamphlet form. Throughout this speech, as well as his life, Douglass advocated equal justice and rights, as well as citizenship, for blacks.He begins his speech by modestly apologizing for being nervous in front of the crowd and recognizes that he has come a long way since his escape from slavery. 3 Lessons From Frederick Douglass About Finding the Courage to Speak Up Do you think Douglass would be surprised to learn that Americans are reciting his words nearly 170 years later? In every clime be understood, If I do forget, if I do not faithfully remember those bleeding children of sorrow this day, "may my right hand forget her cunning, and may my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth!" Their statesmanship looked beyond the passing moment, and stretched away in strength into the distant future. What an understanding of the future this shows, although we know it is not all for the better. They were statesmen, patriots and heroes, and for the good they did, and the principles they contended for, I will unite with you to honor their memory.. This Fourth July is yours, not mine. He implored the Rochester, N.Y., audience to think about the ongoing oppression of Black Americans during a holiday celebrating freedom. Frederick Douglass Speech On The Fourth Of July Revisited In - NPR You may well cherish the memory of such men. The point from which I am compelled to view them is not, certainly, the most favorable; and yet I cannot contemplate their great deeds with less than admiration. we wept when we remembered Zion. The blessings in which you, this day, rejoice, are not enjoyed in common. Frederick Douglass' Fourth of July speech, then and now: A Q&A with whose chains, heavy and grievous yesterday, are, to-day, rendered more intolerable by the jubilee shouts that reach them. I will not. So its important that our city and our society are outraged by the recent murders of unarmed black people. Hard-hit sectors are recovering rapidly - tourism and hospitality establishments are back in business. Douglass praises and respects the signers of the Declaration of Independence, people who put the interests of a country above their own. Shall cease to flow! Walled cities and empires have become unfashionable. I, therefore, leave off where I began, with hope. What would be thought of an instrument, drawn up, legally drawn up, for the purpose of entitling the city of Rochester to a track of land, in which no mention of land was made? Frederick Douglass's, "What To the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July? What, am I to argue that it is wrong to make men brutes, to rob them of their liberty, to work them without wages, to keep them ignorant of their relations to their fellow men, to beat them with sticks, to flay their flesh with the lash, to load their limbs with irons, to hunt them with dogs, to sell them at auction, to sunder their families, to knock out their teeth, to burn their flesh, to starve them into obedience and submission to their masters?