Frederick Douglass' Fourth of July Speech
Historian David Blight narrates a reenactment of Frederick Douglass’ 1852 speech, “The Meaning of the Fourth of July for the Negro,” widely known as one of the greatest Abolitionist speeches ever. In it, Douglass highlights the hypocrisy of celebrating liberty in a nation that allows slavery.
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Excerpted from: Independence Daze: A History of July Fourth
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Independence Daze: A History of July Fourth | BackStory With The American History Guys :
[...] to Frederick Douglass’ speech Historian David Blight narrates a reenactment of Frederick Douglass’ 1852 speech, “The Meaning [...]
Quote -- July 7, 2010 @ 9:24 am
Thank you so much for this thorough examination of Frederick Douglass’s 1852 speech. I am a native of Rochester, NY, where the speech was given, and I still live there. I used to work in the building that now stands where Corinthian Hall, site of the speech, once stood. Business takes me at least once a week to the building where Frederick Douglass published his newspapers for several years, still standing and still an office building. I have often wondered what it would have been like to have been a member of the audience on that day. Mr; Blight’s narrative put me right there. I hope I would have taken that speech as a call to action, as some in that audience did.
QuoteThanks, Pat!
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