Fredrick Douglass The Meaning Of July Fourth To The Negro

“The Meaning of July Fourth to the Negro” Analysis

Frederick Douglass depicts the hypocrisy, horrors of slavery, and the immense inequalities between white Americans and African Americans in his speech. Specifically, he portrays the difference in the importance of the Fourth of July between the two races. The meaning of the holiday differs greatly between the two groups. In particular, he targets the hypocrisy of not just a group people, but the character of a nation.

The Fourth of July was celebrated by many white Americans in this time period to acknowledge the freedom of our nation. Frederick Douglass questions this practice because Americans celebrate freedom, but not all Americans are free. He even states that this holiday is not a holiday for

African Americans, but rather for white Americans. This is because the African Americans are not free at all; therefore, how are they expected to celebrate a freedom they do not possess. He states, “The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity, and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not by me,” (Douglass 1852). This quote reiterates his idea that the Fourth of July is only for white Americans. Douglass challenges the character of the United States by acknowledging the hypocrisy of its actions. As a nation, we left Britain due to the unjust treatment, and pride ourselves on the premise of freedom. Nevertheless, a large portion of the American people do not experience this right at all. Douglass says that while white Americans celebrate their freedom, he is scarred by the terrors of slaves. He touches upon the inhuman treatment experienced by slaves.
Frederick Douglass discusses some of the horrors of slavery. In this time period, a majority of white Americans were unaware of the appalling treatment slaves endured in their lives. He illustrates the slave market in depth. For example, he says, “Attend the auction; see men examined like horses; see the forms of women rudely and brutally exposed to the shocking gaze of American slave-buyers,” (Douglass 1852). As individuals, slaves were treated with a level of respect equivalent to an animal. Slaves were not treated as human beings. In fact, they were considered to be property to the slave owners. As property they were subject to no rights that would be possessed by a citizen. An example of slaves being considered property is the Dred Scott Case. Upon the ruling, the Chief Justice, Roger B. Tainey suggested that Scott was not a citizen, and therefore had no right to even file a lawsuit. In fact, Tainey even states that the 5th amendment prohibits Congress from taking away property, and Scott was considered property. By informing the audience of just some of the many atrocious treatments, slaves endured.
In this time period the inequality between white Americans and African Americans was evident.

Frederick Douglass reiterates this truth by giving numerous examples of the inequalities between the two. African Americans experienced very different treatment compared to white Americans. He explains that even in the legal system of the United States, African Americans were treated more harshly than white Americans. He states that even some Southerners acknowledge that if a white man and black man committed a similar crime, the black man would be susceptible to a harsher punishment. “There are seventy-two crimes in the State of Virginia which, if committed by a black man, subject him to the punishment of death; while only two of the same crimes will subject a white man to the like punishment,” (Douglass 1852). Some argue that African Americans should not experience the same rights as white Americans due to their lack of education. However, how can they be penalized for not being educated, when they do not have the opportunity to educate themselves. Overall, black Americans and white Americans were held to entirely different standards. The differences in these standards set a clear and unfair line between the two

races.
Frederick Douglass identifies multiple points regarding the issue of slavery in his speech, The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro. Douglass mentions the hypocrisy of the United States as they proclaim freedom, but numerous Americans are not free. He also recalls some horrors involved in the daily lives of slaves. Finally, he identifies the severe inequality between African Americans and white Americans. Frederick Douglass ultimately informs the audience that slavery is wrong and must be stopped.