The Fourth Of July Analysis

The Fourth of July and Declaration of Independence from a Slave Fredrick Douglass gives a speech titled “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro” at Rochester, New York. The speech would be given seventy-six years and one day after the Independence of America. Fredrick Douglass describes in his speech, the celebrations of American Independence Day between two male viewpoints of the American citizens, or those of European descent, and of an African slave. In his speech, he also gave his detailed evaluation and review of America and how the country is unable to restore the credibility of what is said in the Declaration of Independence as slavery would go against it.
The American citizens who were Caucasian, celebrated the fourth of July by waving banners, playing drums and church bells, …show more content…
Fredrick Douglass describe their experiences with this national day to be the opposite of those who were Caucasian. He described this as “the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity…” (pg. 7), and he continues to disgrace the celebration of Fourth of July from the Caucasian people. He says this to show that the African slaves feel that they should not be celebrating this holiday because of the fact being that they do have not done anything with greatness to celebrate it. The African slaves describe this celebration as false and “a thin veil to cover up crimes”. What would happen to the African slaves during this holiday is the practice of the American slave-trade. This would be equivalent to human trafficking nowadays, but instead there would be free blacks who would be captured and brought into slavery through a judge ruling. The slave trade does not live up to the words and statements in the Declaration of