July 5th - 1852

On July 5, 1852, Frederick Douglass gave a keynote address at an Independence Day celebration and asked, “What to the American Slave is the Fourth of July?” . . . Grammy & Emmy Award Recipient, Ossie Davis reads Frederick Douglass’ speech--of which Mr. Douglass titled “The Meaning of July 4th for the Negro” and frequently referred to as: “What to the Slave is the 4th of July?” His speech, given at an event organized by the Rochester Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society to commemorate the signing of the 1776 Declaration of Independence, was held at Corinthian Hall in Rochester, New York. It was a cutting speech in which Douglass stated, “This Fourth of July is yours, not mine, You may rejoice, I must mourn.”