What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?
“What, to the American slave, is your 4th 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. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciation of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; 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.There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of the United States, at this very hour.” — Frederick Douglass, July 5, 1852
The quote that has opened this article, and the title for which this article is named, are taken from Frederick Douglass’ speech he gave to the Rochester Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society. The entire speech can be read here, but as you can imagine—given that he was one of the most powerful orators in history, that it was a brilliant declaration and inside look into the hypocrisy of Independence Day, and the fact that it is not a day that Black Americans can relate to. Even now, 168 years following Douglass’ speech, why are we still widely celebrating a holiday that has nothing to do with the actual political, economic, and social landscape of this country. Despite, according to the last Census, 76% of this country being white—13% Black and 18% Hispanic and Latino, it doesn’t make sense to me that we celebrate and pontificate about a day that has never actually lived up to its promise. The signing of the Declaration of Independence was in and of itself a radical move by America’s founding fathers. It cited and confirmed the beginning of a new land, free of British tyranny and control, and because of that the day should be remembered and celebrated. And thus, it has been. Americans have long held the 4th of July as a quintessential celebration, filled with reflections and pride on what it means to be American. There’s hot dogs and burgers, fireworks and sparklers, ice cream and apple pie, and parades galore. Stores and offices close down in observance, and families gather from far and wide, to commiserate the day of our freedom.
But whose freedom are we actually talking about? Cause it sure as hell ain’t Black peoples.
Black people however, have always taken the 4th of July as a day to raise awareness, and challenge this country to finally adhere to its ambitions of being a place of freedom for everyone. There have always been marches, protests, articles written, songs sang, rallies held—by Black people and White allies alike, to use this so called day of Independence, to shine light on the gross injustices and disparities that exists between White and Black people in this country—and the year 2020 will unfortunately be no different. I have no doubt that many of us in this country want the 4th of July to exist as a true celebration of equality and freedom for all. And that this country can live up to its potential to be the shining star among nations it posits itself to be, but that will not happen without continued resistance, protests, activism, and education!
In a country where it’s illegal and punishable by death to:
Walk while Black
Drive while Black
Sleep while Black
Shop while Black
Eat while Black
Play while Black
Speak while Black
Breathe while Black
You cannot tell me that this country is deserving of any type of celebration with its inherited and ironclad hold on racism and injustice. This country can be better, but let’s be honest there’s still a ton of folks that are determined to not let it be. I know how bad my White brothers and sisters want to wear y’all red, white, and blue, and swing that flag from the rooftops, and sing to the heavens — “I’m proud to be an American!” But please, don’t do it. Don’t let me see y’all running around on instagram decked out in stars and stripes, praising this country on its unwavering stance on liberty and justice for all, CAUSE IT’S NOT TRUE. And honestly, if you still believe that at this point, lets just call a spade a spade—you are knowingly and proudly racist and unflinching in making a change. This country has a messy history of systemic racial inequality, that guarantees Black lives —from birth to death, lead a life full of disenfranchisement and danger. White supremacy will have you questioning the loyalty and patriotism of Black people in this country, when we have participated and died, in every war this country has fought, and yet we still aren’t considered free and able to thrive like our white counterparts.
So I urge you, this July 4th to do something different. Do not celebrate this country for what it’s been, but reflect and commit yourself to reshaping it into what it could be. Dissect your role in this democracy, and ask yourself what you can do everyday to ensure this country lives up to that sacred declaration it prides itself on. Do all that you can, with all that you have, to make Frederick Douglass’ speech something that Black Americans no longer deeply identify with: