The Meaning Of July Fourth For The Negro Analysis

July 4th is the day celebrated when America gained declared independence from Great Britain. It’s been celebrated every year as a country since the adoption of the Declaration of Independence since 1776. In 1852, the 5th of July, Frederick Douglas was asked to speak in front of northern abolitionists in New York of the holiday and the subject of independence and freedom. Frederick Douglas would be the ideal person to speak about freedom. At the time in 1850’s he was an African American man who had gained his freedom from slavery. He had taught himself how to read and write, which was uncommon for an Africa American to do, during slave hood. Most slaveholders at this time would want to keep their slaves illiterate. This was an era where Northern states were just beginning to nurture the idea of abolition. Being an abolitionist was still dangerous and censored in the south, and most northerners were just anti-slavery, the difference between the two was one wanted the end of slavery total (abolitionists) and the other just wanted to stop the spread of slavery in new states and territories (anti-slavery). Frederick Douglas, because of his first-hand experience with slavery and his literacy, began to make friends among the abolitionists in the North and would be the best person to speak about freedom. He then uses this as a chance to persuade, particularly northern, people into becoming abolitionist by pointing out the irony in him speaking about the holiday of independence, and

Frederick Douglass touches on the fight for African-American rights in the 1852 America in his writing“What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” speech, he uses rhetorical devices in order to build and establish an argument. In his speech, his intention is to make slavery completely abolished . Frederick Douglass believes that America’s independence celebration on the fourth of July is not right when not all American’s truly have that right because of slavery. Through his use of three rhetorical devices, ethos, pathos, and logos, he gradually persuades the audience into believing that black people are deserving of the same rights as white men do.

Born a slave in Maryland but managed to escape in 1838 was one of the most influential African American leader, Frederick Douglass. A person who battled assiduously for the abolishment of slavery. His speech “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro” is only one of his many great efforts to putting an end to slavery. The true subject matter of his speech is American slavery however in particular it addressed the hypocrisy of American slavery. Douglass’s main argument in regards to his speech is followed by this rhetorical question “Are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us?” which sets up for the thesis “This Fourth of July is yours, not mine.” Meaning that celebrating the fourth of July is all about independence and freedom but it is ironic how America reinforces this however following a system of trading slaves- snatching away the black people’s freedom instead.

Douglass was a voice and leader among abolitionists. Days before the Civil War ended, he spoke to the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society. In his speech, titled “What the Black Man Wants”, he called freedom enfranchisement and citizenship. Douglass said, “Shall we be citizens in war, and aliens in peace?” Freedom also meant freedom to fail. “If the Negro cannot stand on his own legs, let him fall.” Whites “[interfering] is doing him a positive injury.” He pleaded to not “prop up the Negro. Let him fall if he cannot stand

He then demonstrates the differences between the whites and blacks, in which they are justice, joyous anthems and independence. Moreover, Douglass repeats throughout his speech multiple times that the nation pretended to be all about freedom. For instance, “ My subject ,then, fellow citizens, is American slavery. I shall see this day and it’s popular characteristics from the slaves point of view” ( Douglas 4). Slavery was very unacceptable in any circumstances.

On July 5th, 1952, Frederick Douglass addressed the ladies of the Rochester Anti-Slavery Sewing society in his famous speech, titled “What to the slave is the fourth of July?” 1 In this address, Douglass points out the hypocrisies between the principles of the American Constitution and the way in which American society functioned at the time. Prior to this speech, his early experiences, friendships, and observations of different aspects of society pushed him to advocate for the participation of blacks in American democracy and freedom, and later in opposition to the many voices within the abolitionist movement that argued for the opposite. While Douglass saw the blatant contradictions between the words of the Revolution and the way in which marginalized groups were treated by most of the ruling white-male population, he was by no means against the principles outlined within the Declaration of Independence or the United States as a nation. Douglass’s thought was very much an olive branch between the ruling white class and the enslaved and disenfranchised black population. His self-made story, inspiring influences, and determination to promote American freedom amongst the many evil aspects in the country he lived in made him one of the most important intellectual figures in the road to abolishing slavery.

During the early 1850’s there were more than four million African Americans enslaved in the United States of America. One of those slaves was Frederick Douglass who was born into slavery in 1818. After Douglass escaped slavery in 1838 he writes the speech “What, to the Slave, Is the Fourth of July?.” In “What, to the Slave, Is the Fourth of July?,” Douglass utilizes imagery, tone, and syntax in order to show the dehumanization of slaves and human rights. Douglass uses his own experience of being a slave to fight against the institution of slavery.

Section 1: Douglass praised the Founding Fathers, and gives honor to what they did for this country. This section is the beginning of his speech and it will be the base of the second section which accuses Americans about the position of African Americans. In addition, Douglass condemned slavery and the Fugitive Slave Law. It is intelligent to start the comparison between slavery and the British tyranny by history. Douglass discoursed about the right of American to free themselves from England: “to say now that America was right, and England wrong, is exceedingly easy.” Douglass realized that humans would lay down their lives to be free.

He mentions past freedoms by saying that “It would, certainly, prove nothing, as to what part I might have taken had I lived during the great controversy of 1776. To say now that America was right, and England wrong, is exceedingly easy.” (Douglass 3). Here Douglass is talking about how America was quick to judge England’s actions as wrong and how America made the right decision and took the initiative to fight for their freedom. Later in the same speech, Douglass asks, “Are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us [blacks]?" (Douglass, p. 9). Here, Douglass is talking about how the constitution mentions liberty and freedom for all Americans but that freedom isn’t extended towards African-Americans. This is a significant quote because he reminds the white audience that Americans were able to get their freedom from the British because they felt oppressed and how the rights should be extended to African Americans because they too are oppressed. Douglass states that African Americans have been living in the United States for about the same time as the White population so if the whites were able to celebrate their freedom, so should the African Americans. The audience which Douglass is addressing is a group of abolitionists at an

For a national document concerning individual’s natural and legal rights to be made without the thought of including African Americans and those enslaved was paradoxical and something that could not be done unnoticed. In his speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”, although Frederick Douglass at first commends what the founding fathers did for America, he soon goes on to condemn American society’s attitude on slavery and how people try to just ignore the cruel exploitation and treatment slaves were subjected to. On behalf African Americans, Douglass asks society “are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us [blacks]?” (Douglass, 1852, paragraph 34) and proceeds to argue that “the rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not by me” (Douglass, 1852, paragraph 36). There is a sort of paradox of the positive that Douglass brings up how something meant to be positive can still exclude individuals and in this case, those enslaved. Douglass puts a lot of emphasis on the attitude of American society which is still a theme and focus of current civil rights activists. Currently, there is still a color line in society and “the present attitude of the American people toward the Colored race is a fixed and unchangeable fact, not a prejudice of the day” (Du

When the African-American man Frederick Douglass wrote his famous speech, “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro”, America was in a time of great distress. It was the year 1852, and the view of abolitionists was quickly spreading. It was the time of both provocative literatures such as Uncle Tom’s Cabin, as well as important resolutions, such as the Dredd Scott decision, showing the contrast between views at the time, both positive and negative towards slavery. Frederick Douglass was a freed African-American who bought his way out of slavery, serving as an inspiration to other slaves. His speech, being an immensely mocking jeremiad, bitterly laments the state of the American society and

In Douglass’ speech he tries to achieve in making America a land of liberty and freedom. Douglass strived to achieve equality for all races and end all slavery across the nation. He condemns America

Douglass spent many years of his live traveling from place to another, attending meetings, supporting activists, giving enthusiastic speeches, and spreading his ideas of equality. One of the most famous speeches that Douglass gave was the one for the Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society on July 5, 1852 celebrating the Independence Day. The speech known by “What to the slave is the fourth of July?”. Douglass started his speech explaining the importance of this day; he applauded the American Revolution, and praised the signers of the Declaration of the Independence. Douglass talked to his audience explaining the purpose of this celebration was to celebrate the birthday of their National Independence and their freedom. Throughout his speech, Douglas used the word ”your” many times emphasizing the distance between him and his audience and confirming that he does not share the same perspective or feeling toward the Independence day as they do. He said "Are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us [blacks]?"(Douglass, 1852), he then started to analyze the purpose behind his speech is the American slavery. He tried to point out the idea of how the black person celebrates the freedom of the white person. He criticized the audience who celebrate their freedom while forgot the principles of the American founders.

Douglass begins his speech as a scholarly attribution and praise to the accomplishments of the American people, and a praise for what the founding fathers did for this country. Douglass uses a weak, passive, and submissive tone, as a slave would speak to their master, to establish an obvious superiority of the audience over him. He speaks of “a feeling that has crept over him, quite unfavorable to the exercise of his limited powers of speech” (Douglass 1). Douglass still plans to address his subject, but he must do so in such a way as not to offend the egos of the audience. He addresses the fact that his narrow range of speech places him under the audience, an audience probably of intelligent scholars and government officials. By reinforcing

On July 5th of 1852, Fredrick Douglass gave a speech to a mainly female audience at the Rochester Anti-Slavery Sewing society rally.  This speech is famously known as “What to the slave is the fourth of July?”.  This speech is known for being one of the most eloquent and well-spoken anti-slavery speeches of its time.  He starts by discussing the importance of the fourth of July to the white men who are able to experience the entirety of freedom in America.  He then counters what he earlier said by saying that a man who is not fully free has not been liberated and doesn’t have anything to celebrate.  This speech heavily focused on issues such as human rights and human security, as well as beliefs from the enlightenment movement, which were