Slavery Is The Fourth Of July Analysis

Slavery has existed long before American declared its independence, and was and practiced decade’s afterword’s. America was founded on freedom and equality, while enslaving millions of people throughout the United States. So I ask, how can a country be founded on freedom and equality when its economic foundation is dependent on slavery? In Frederick Douglas speech title, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” he forces the audience to face the reality that the independence that America was founded on isn’t the reality for millions of African Americans that are enslaved. Douglas stated, “Fellow- citizens, pardon me, allow me to ask, why am I called upon to speak here today? What have I, or those I represent, to do with your national independent? Are the great principles of political freedom and natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us?” In relation, Douglas points out how the fourth of July isn’t a joyous occasion for him and the people of his race because they are not consider free. At that time slaves where seen as property and didn’t obtain basic rights, such as; freedom of speech, education, or marriage.
African Americans endured …show more content…
Douglas explains how strips him of his manhood, and tries to turn him into a beast. Douglas implies, "I was broken in body, soul, and spirit. My natural elasticity was crushed, my intellect languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful spark that lingered about my eye died; the dark night of slavery closed in upon me; and behold a man transformed into a brute!" Slave mastered not only controlled slaves physically but physiologically. In Douglas autobiography he recounts how the slave breaker known as Mr. Covey used tactics to scare slaves and break them mentally. Mr. Covey jumped out and beat the slaves that wasn’t working hard as the others, which caused slaves to believe the Mr. Covey was always