Frederick Douglass Fourth of July Speech

Part I Questions 1. In some ways, the first part of the speech is a traditional patriotic speech. Identify these elements. 2. Douglass uses religious language in discussing Independence. Why do you think he does so? 3. What is his opinion of the American Founders? What characteristics does he praise about them? What is their most significant accomplishment? 4. What does he mean by ring-bolt? 5. Douglass repeatedly uses the pronouns “you” and “your” (rather than “our” and ‘ours”) throughout this section. Why does he do this? 6. Why do you think he delivered the speech on the 5th rather than the 4th of July? 7. Why does he call his own time “degenerate”?

Part II Questions 1. In the second part of the speech, Douglass turns to the present and his own feelings about the 4th of July celebration. What are these? 2. Next, Douglass presents a picture of American slavery. From what point of view does he look at it? 3. How does he show that everyone in America, North and South, views enslaved Africans as human beings 4. What feelings is he appealing to in his audience in this section? 5. What is the significance of the image of the reptile in the bosom on the nation at the end of this section?

Part III Questions 1. Why does Douglass appeal to the Constitution in the last section of the speech? What is surprising about this appeal? 2. To what other elements in the American political tradition does he appeal? 3. Given all that he has said in his speech, why does Douglass conclude on an optimistic note for black Americans? 4. What reasons does he give for optimism?

A Few Years Later… A few years later, slavery was officially gone, but soon the true replacement, segregation was the new law and racist practice. Even as the US claimed it was fighting for freedom in Europe and Asia, the law and culture rationalized this new form of slavery. Here is a photo of what whites wanted their children to think about the happy life of "negroes." This photo of a "Sort of Holiday" on a Southern Plantation, is from " Lands and Peoples, The World in Color (sic)," published 1929 to 1941 and used in the public schools into the 1950's!

Reflection What specific parts of Douglass’s speech most speak to you? Why? In what ways do you experience similar injustices in our “free” society? Can you think of injustices you would like to combat?

Create Create one piece that creatively represents Douglass’s purpose, argument, intended audience, and persona (attitude) (or SOAPS). This could be in the form of a modern-day speech, a poem, a poster (ala Shepard Fairey), a letter to _______, news story, or your own creation.