What to us is the Fourth of July? Does Freedom Ring True

12 pm PDT/ 2pm CDT/ 3pm EDT The Declaration of Independence is one of America’s significant founding documents. On its face, it is a declaration of war. A look at the structure of the document, it follows the archetype of 18th century enlightenment thinking, laying out fundamental principles drawn from the laws of nature and deriving conclusions based on these principles. But over all this, the document lays out the values that the founders considered to be fundamental to the creation of a government, and though imperfect, the values for which the country should continuously strive.

72 years later, Frederick Douglass was asked to deliver an Independence Day address to the Rochesters Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society. The address, entitled “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” is a lament of the celebration of independence while so many in the US were enslaved. In contrast to the appeal to logic of the Declaration of Independence which strives for lofty goals, Douglass’s address points out the hypocrisy inherent in the invitation and national celebration. Even so, Douglass ends his speech “drawing encouragement from the Declaration of Independence [and] the great principles it contains”.

We invite you all to join us at the Freedom Festival for a collective reading of excerpts from both the Declaration of Independence and Fredrick Douglass’s speech “What to a slave is the Fourth of July?”.  We’ll explore in conversation the relationship between these documents and freedom. Collectively, we can create together our meaning of freedom and the Fourth of July.

Discussion Leaders: Nick Gross, Rachell Moore, and Jay Newman