LAD/Blog #17: Frederick Douglass' "5th of July" speech

Frederick Douglass begins by asking the people why they think he is giving a speech, and more importantly, the reason for him not celebrating independence day.  In short, he claimed  that African Americans were not being granted the rights urged in the detailed grievances of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, so he refused to observe the hypocritical holiday.  Despite the fact that some groups celebrated their copious liberties, others felt dehumanized as they did not enjoy those same freedoms.  In fact, the 4th of July served as a cruel reminder of black slaves' lack of rights at the time.  Until America gave African Americans their rights, it would remain a hypocritical and insulting celebration for many.





Frederick Douglass' speech reminded me of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream" speech since both pushed for racial equality in America.