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What To A Slave Is The Fourth Of July Essay

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“What to a Slave is the Fourth of July” by Fredrick Douglass is a speech that was delivered to a crowd in Corinthian Hall on July 5th, 1852. Frederick Douglass was a very influential abolitionist, using his influence and way with words he delivered a very significant message illustrating how even though the Fourth of July has great importance to many, it still serves as a harsh reminder for many unfair and unjust things going on to enslaved people, through his speech he uses many different historical events to help convey his message and prove how he is correct in the matter, many of these points are even still applicable in the U.S today. Throughout the speech Douglass shows his distaste towards the United States. The country that advocates …show more content…

He uses plenty of evidence, some of it is from his direct childhood while some of it is from some of the most famous members of the United States history. The people that are attending the speech are forced to confront the harsh truth. After stating all of these facts and memories he then makes this statement, “ What, to the American slave, is your Fourth 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” (12). From this quote he is telling the listener how the slave feels and with this there is no argument against it. He uses things like the Declaration of Independence, a document that is celebrated on this day of injustice. By using the document that the people celebrate they can have no argument, it is the document that they believe in. Douglass after this, towards the end of his speech tries to think on the bright side, “ God speed the hour, the glorious hour, When none on earth shall exercise lordly power”(23). Showing how he is excited for the day that everyone is treated as …show more content…

The Fourth of July is a widely celebrated holiday across the country, but not everyone can relate to it. Many people in the United States are from different origins, but in a country where everyone should be treated equally, at least it says this in the founding documents. There are still many injustices in this country, there are stigmas and discrimination in a place that likes to pride itself in saying it has none. His message of what the Fourth of July means to the enslaved might relate to some, who are still facing the injustices of the

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A quote from Frederick Douglass’s speech, “This Fourth July is yours, not. You may rejoice, I must mourn”. Douglass points out that Fourth of July reminds the blacks of what they do not have, the whites get to celebrate but the black have nothing to celebrate. The fourth of July has no meaning to the slaves. Douglass passionately argues how unfair it was for people to celebrate their freedom when some are held captive and how the celebration of independence while allowing slavery is shameful.

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American slavery is the subject of Douglass’s speech. On that day he wanted everyone to see the popular characteristics from the slave’s point of view. The standing was identified with the American bondman, making his wrongs mines, he didn't hesitate to declare, with all my soul. The character and conduct of this nation never looked blacker to him than that 4th of July.

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Are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us?” (Douglass). He really capitalized on the irony of an African American, whose brothers are still enslaved in a majority of the country, being asked to give a speech about a holiday celebrated by whites to recognize their freedom in the country. Douglass ends the speech by answering the question, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”. In short he answers this, “a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelly to which he is the constant

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Douglass establishes his credibility and authority on the issue of slavery and inequality in the United States by drawing on his own experience and expertise. He begins the speech by introducing himself as a former slave and expressing his sadness and disappointment at the Fourth of July festivities which celebrate the nation’s independence while ignoring the ongoing oppression of African Americans. He says, “I am not included within the pale of this glorious anniversary! Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us.” By acknowledging his own identity as a former slave, Douglass gives himself immediate credibility on the issue of slavery and inequality.

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He proclaims that "…While we are…living, moving, acting, thinking, planning, living in families as husbands, wives and children, and, above all, confessing and worshipping the Christian's God, and looking hopefully for life and immortality beyond the grave, we are called upon to prove that we are men!" By showing the mundanity of the slave, Douglass shows the audience that the slaves are human and therefore unable to be considered property. He forces his audience to examine their own lives and realize their similarities to the slaves and the hypocrisy of slavery. He doesn't give his audience a chance to disagree with his stance on slavery because he makes such a blunt argument. Douglass asks again, "Must I undertake to prove that the slave is a man?

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In the speech for fourth of July celebrations invited by Rochester, the indignant Frederick Douglass strongly criticizes the hypocrisy of the celebrations of the freedom and independence in his nation. He pointedly questions all present people the meaning of celebrations of Fourth July to the black people, wrathfully recounts the tragedies that happen on black people in detail and vehemently points out that the meaningless propriety of the nation should be destroyed. Throughout his speech, he demonstrates the deep crime and ugliness that most Americans made and eagerly calls the equality and peace to all black people. In the third paragraph, after using a mass of rhetorical question in the first two paragraphs, Frederick Douglass employs metaphor and contrast to emphasize the satire of this celebrations to black people.

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