
Authors such as Frederick Douglas have geographical and historical motives that influence their writings. Culture, events, and even geography have affected several aspects in which a piece of literature is written. On July 5, 1852, In Frederick Douglass’s speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”, Douglass condemns the celebration of Independence Day in context of the cruelty towards blacks that was happening every day. Independence Day was intended to celebrate America’s anniversary of independence from England and freedom for all. While claiming that America was the new “free world,” blacks were still suffering from slavery. In response, several abolitionists such as Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, and Douglass created movements, peaceful protests, and delivered several speeches. Today, to better understand the position of each abolitionists you must study the historical circumstances that formed their arguments. In the speech “What to a Slave is the Fourth of July”, the cultural contexts influence Douglass’s language that he uses to speak to his audience, the audiences improved understanding on the irony of Independence Day, and the divine need for immediate change to gain racial equality among all people.

The magnitude of the issue at hand was huge and, in turn, Douglass’ use of language was firm and aggressive. His goal was to make sure people understood the degree of the problem. Every year people celebrated freedom, while blacks looked on in spite as they were oppressed by the white man. In an article titled “Segregation” by Paul Finkleman, he discusses the current, ongoing battle African Americans have been dealing with for the past hundreds of years. He informs us on difficulties minorities faced such as color segregated schools, restaurants, jobs, and so on. Finkleman states that during Douglass’s time, “in the South, segregation was more than just a legal system; it was a way of life, supported by laws, private actions, and cultural norms” (Finkleman 2). This is a situation that should make everyone furious. The historical context given by Finkleman justifies Douglass’ anger on the topic. Thus, Douglass displays his hostile language most when saying the meaning of Fourth of July is “a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless” (265).  These harsh, yet accurate claims reveal language that characterizes Douglass as passionate towards his cause. Every year on Independence Day during the mid-nineteenth century Frederick passionately claims “Fellow-citizens; above your national, tumultuous joy, I hear the mournful wail of millions! Whose chains, heavy and grievous yesterday, are, to-day, rendered more intolerable by the jubilee shouts that reach them” (263). The Fourth of July celebrations go on as blacks continue working in the fields or are kept from the basic human rights everyone deserves. This historical context is the cause for Frederick Douglass’ explicit language in his speech.

Holidays often lose their purpose because people celebrate in ways that entirely defeat the reason for the day. For example, the day after Thanksgiving, millions of people go out to buy products on sale just hours after saying how thankful they are for what they already have. While African Americans were being segregated, and enslaved in the 1800’s, white Americans were celebrating Independence Day. In the article by Leonard Sweet “The Fourth of July and Black Americans in the Nineteenth Century,” key facts and events are discussed that add context, changing the perspective of an American citizen that has been celebrating the holiday for years. The author of this article expresses the irony of Independence Day claiming “Even the author of the Declaration of Independence was unwilling to declare an independence ‘for all’ until the Independence Day of 1826 declared it ‘for some’ of his slaves through his death” (Sweet 257). The beginning years of the holiday were counter-productive and hypocritical. Rather than unifying the country, it separated it. Sweet’s display of the culture during that time mocks Independence day’s purpose.  In comparison to the writing “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July,” Sweet’s article goes more in depth with the specific events that happened during this time.  Meanwhile, Douglass’s speech lacked as much historical evidence. Douglass focused more on the flaws of the holiday from the view point of someone living during that time. He could present the thoughts of the slaves, since he was once a slave himself.  Both writings allow a sense of perspective of several different blacks and what type of reactions they had. Sweet’s article enhances Douglass’ ideas. He translates the culture during that time into a way that can be understood by people hundreds of years later. Sweet’s article expresses the crimes against humanity during the 1800s that made the national holiday the most ironic day of the year.

During Douglass’ speech, he makes it apparent that slavery is an act against God. In “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July,” he urgently denounces the unholy crime. The speaker asks his audience what is to be argued “Is it that slavery is not divine; that God did not establish it; that our doctors of divinity are mistaken? There is blasphemy in the thought. That which is inhumane, cannot be divine!” (Douglass 264). Douglas claims that this argument is a waste of his time. He believes that it should be so obvious that slavery is wrong. Yet somehow, people lack to see the evil in it. Douglass’ perspective is influenced by the cultural context discussed in the article “Neither Slavery nor Abolitionism: James M. Pendleton and the Problem of Christian Conservative Antislavery in 1840s Kentucky” by Luke E. Harlow. The author of this article reviews the points of view on slavery from preachers in the North and in the South. As expected, northern preachers found slavery to be an unholy sanction. On the other hand, Southern preachers somehow believed “that God had established the master-slave relationship as foundational for Christian society.” (Harlow 368). This idea is absurd. Who could ever believe that God would create a relationship where one human is more entitled than another? It is clearly stated in the Bible that God created all men equal. Despite this clear fact, southern preachers continued to believe slavery was acceptable. Douglass is infuriated that the common people refuse to see how inhumane and unholy slavery is. Harlow’s presentation of the southern religious culture further dramatizes the absurdity that impacts Douglass’ speech.

Frederick Douglass lived in a critical time during American History, a time in which people were considered less worthy solely because of their skin color. Frequent movements and ideas were in progress that influenced his speech. Douglass witnessed blacks mistreated by police for organizing peaceful protests, he saw people celebrating Independence Day when independence was nonexistent in the lives of many blacks, and priests condoning the act of slavery. When analyzing Douglass’ speech it is useful to make sense of the historical and cultural contexts that inclined his moral purpose to create a writing that would be read by millions of people in the future. Frederick’s “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” displays historical context influencing Douglass’ language and style, presenting reasons for the irony of Independence Day, and bestowing divine reasons for instant change to gain racial equality.
