ArtsConnect hosted a community reading of the speech by Frederick Douglass entitled “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” featuring more than 30 readers from Topeka who read the speech from start to finish on July 5th, 2020.
Why should we read Frederick Douglass?
“Indeed the need to conduct the reading is heightened by the tenor of today’s talk about race. In light of the growing intolerance that characterizes a great deal of public discourse, it is all the more important not only to reflect on Douglass’s words but to do so in community.”
~ David Harris, Managing Director of the Charles Hamilton Institute for Racial Justice, Harvard Law School
“Humanities Kansas values opportunities for community members to come together and reexamine our histories, values, and aspirations for the future. Douglass’ words powerfully shape a better understanding of America, the legacy of slavery, and the promise of democracy.”
~ Julie Mulvihill, Kansas Humanities Executive Director
This project was made possible with support from Humanities Kansas, seveneightfive Magazine, Speak Easy Poets and Kansas Poet Laureate Huascar Medina. We are grateful to Mass Humanities for providing online resources and materials that have made this project possible.
Who was Frederick Douglass?
Frederick Douglass (born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey; c. February 1817 – February 20, 1895) escaped from slavery in 1838 and lived for many years in Massachusetts. He delivered the Fourth of July speech on July 5, 1852, in Rochester, New York, to the Rochester Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society. The most celebrated orator of his day, Douglass’ powerful language, resolute denunciations of slavery, and forceful examination of the Constitution challenge us to think about the histories we tell, the values they teach, and if our actions match our aspirations. To quote Douglass, “We have to do with the past only as we can make it useful to the future.”
Text of the speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July”
For this reading, we used a shortened version of the speech. You can view the abridged version as well as the full version by clicking below.
READERS
Tara Bartley, Annette Billings, James Bugg, Veronica Byrd, Ariane Davis, Lisa Davis, Michelle De La Isla (Fmr. Topeka Mayor), William Domme, Gary E. Douglas, Glenda DuBoise, Sue Edgerton-Johnson, Dennis Etzel, Jr., Sarah Fizell, Erica Garcia, Annastasia Glover, Rodney Harmon, S.J. Hazim, Marty Hillard, Karen Hiller, Sara Hoyer, Lorna Jarrett, Raymond Jarrett, Jr., Kara Kendall-Morwick, Michelle Kirk, Louise Krug, Shampayne Lloyd, Huascar Medina, Oshara Meesha, William Naeger, Hannah Naeger, Dr. Beryl A. New, Dané Shobe, Matt Spezia, Maren Turner, Kamahra Walker and Glenda Washington.