What Frederick Douglass Thought of Independence Day

Instead of referring to enslaved people as “slaves” or “property,” he called them “men,” in all capital letters. To this day, historians still argue about the intent there. Was Jefferson, a slaveholder himself, advocating for abolition? Or was he merely trying to reference freedom as much as possible, to score points against King George?

Either way, Congress wouldn’t abide by any condemnation of slavery. So, the passage was cut from the Declaration, and slavery and white supremacy became foundational to the United States. 

Which brings us to July 4, 1852, when Frederick Douglass, the writer and abolitionist who’d escaped slavery himself, was asked to give a speech to the Rochester Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society. 

It’s one of the greatest speeches in U.S. history; it’s also one that Kai Wright, host of The Stakes podcast, makes a point of reading every Independence Day. 

“What to the American slave is your Fourth of July?” Douglass said. “To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity … your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade and solemnity, are to him mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy — a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages.”

Hear this week’s episode of The Stakes, which features a reading of Douglass’ speech by actor James Earl Jones. (And if you’re looking for a road trip playlist for the holiday weekend, all seven episodes of The Stakes are available, wherever you get your podcasts).