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

Douglass gave his speech on the 5th of July to make a point about how July 4th is supposedly a day for independence in which the slaves cannot celebrate. Douglass said that the 4th of July is yours not mine, reffering to how America has fulfilled its promise of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness to white men and not anyone else. In his speech, Douglass reflects on the meaning of freedom and challenges whether or not America is the land of the free because it still has slavery. Douglass continues with how the 4th of July serves as a reminder to all those in slavery that this is not a country of freedom at all and can never be until the institution of slavery is forever defeated. Douglass finishes his speech with how he believes that slavery will be wiped out from the abolitionists. Douglass also ends his speech with a poem written by William Lloyd Garrison about how only when the chains of slavery are broken can the country truly be one of freedom and the promise of the constitution made by the founding fathers will be fulfilled.

Martin Luther King Jr also delivered his "I have a dream" speech that emphasized that everyone should be equal in the country