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What To A Slave Is The Fourth Of July Essay

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“What to a Slave is the Fourth of July” by Fredrick Douglass is a speech that was delivered to a crowd in Corinthian Hall on July 5th, 1852. Frederick Douglass was a very influential abolitionist, using his influence and way with words he delivered a very significant message illustrating how even though the Fourth of July has great importance to many, it still serves as a harsh reminder for many unfair and unjust things going on to enslaved people, through his speech he uses many different historical events to help convey his message and prove how he is correct in the matter, many of these points are even still applicable in the U.S today. Throughout the speech Douglass shows his distaste towards the United States. The country that advocates …show more content…

He uses plenty of evidence, some of it is from his direct childhood while some of it is from some of the most famous members of the United States history. The people that are attending the speech are forced to confront the harsh truth. After stating all of these facts and memories he then makes this statement, “ What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim” (12). From this quote he is telling the listener how the slave feels and with this there is no argument against it. He uses things like the Declaration of Independence, a document that is celebrated on this day of injustice. By using the document that the people celebrate they can have no argument, it is the document that they believe in. Douglass after this, towards the end of his speech tries to think on the bright side, “ God speed the hour, the glorious hour, When none on earth shall exercise lordly power”(23). Showing how he is excited for the day that everyone is treated as …show more content…

The Fourth of July is a widely celebrated holiday across the country, but not everyone can relate to it. Many people in the United States are from different origins, but in a country where everyone should be treated equally, at least it says this in the founding documents. There are still many injustices in this country, there are stigmas and discrimination in a place that likes to pride itself in saying it has none. His message of what the Fourth of July means to the enslaved might relate to some, who are still facing the injustices of the

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