Frederick Douglass: 4th of July

Frederick Douglass, being asked to speak at a Fourth of July celebration, feels it is somewhat of a mockery to him and the blacks of America. Fourth of July doesn’t have the same meaning to slaves and blacks as it does to white Americans. While the white people see this as a celebration, the blacks see it as the start of the terrible injustices they have faced. The day does not represent freedom to the blacks; rather it represents the beginnings of enslavement and torture. The declaration of Independence did not give freedom to the black man; it gave freedom to only the white man. Douglass wonders how he is so supposed to be joyous on this day and speak to the people when this is the day he lost his freedom. Frederick appeals to logos in his speech. He tries to reason with his audience to show them why he does not believe his is the right person to speak at the Fourth of July Celebration. Douglass states, “There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of the United States, at this very hour (Fourth of July).” Our day of celebration is their day of enslavement.