
America had a dark past in the 1800’s. The issue of slavery was taking a forefront in our nation’s attention as an apparent schism was being formed between supporters of slavery and abolitionists. Demographically, supporters of slavery were white southern farmers who built their society around the free and abundant labor needed to produce cotton, the staple export sold around the world. In the north a different ideology was stirring towards a stanch view of abolition. By 1852 these growing polarizing interests began to boil to the surface. There were few more well renown abolitionists during this time than Frederick Douglass. A former slave from Maryland’s Eastern Shore, he escaped to New York and eventually London, England where he was able to buy his freedom. Returning to America Douglass began public speaking and published his autobiography to great success. Douglass began to travel the country, urging the nation to abolish slavery and to give African Americans equality in society. On July 5th, 1852, Douglass delivered his historic speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” that accurately embodies and depicts the culture of America as the nation split over the issue of slavery. 

To truly understand the meaning of Douglass’s speech, one must examine America’s past to determine the immediate and underlying causes. Ever since colonists established settlements in the South, white plantation owners have used slave labor to produce mass amounts of crops. As the nation progressed towards independence, the economy surrounding slavery had grown exponentially. Every aspect of the slave trade from obtaining slaves to transporting as well as marketing and production made the Southern economy incredibly lucrative. However, as the profits of plantation owners grew, the inhumanity of America’s new “particular institution” began to stir up resentment towards Southern ideology. Feelings of abolition began to grow just as quickly as the profit margins of slavery. As it is so, the main underlying cause for Douglass’s speech was this growing friction between ardent abolitionists and stanch supporters of slavery. There were also immediate causes that were substantial factors to Douglass’s speech. The most notable and often overlooked factor is the national holiday the Fourth of July, which is also the subject that Douglass argues its validity for slaves. The Fourth of July is meant to encapsulate Americas greatest virtues; freedom, democracy and unity. Historically the Fourth of July was the day our Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence establishing ourselves as a nation, free and independent from the British Empire. The rejoicing of the fundamental principle of freedom during the Fourth of July does not apply to slaves, as they were not seen as free in the eyes of the law. As Douglass delivered this speech on the 5th of July, any feelings of resentment or animosity towards the great lampoon that the 4th of July represents to slaves were still fresh in his mind that he clearly develops into inspiring arguments against slavery in America. 

Douglass begins his speech by making an insightful comparison between slavery and the American Revolution. Within the opening paragraphs, he states that history will cherish those who, “pronounced against England, as it was fashionable to do so, and in favor of the cause of the colonies. To side with the right, with the weak against the strong seems unfashionable in the day” (Douglass 258). Douglass argued that in 1776, people saw it as a dangerous act to break from the British Empire and some citizens were aversive to the idea of revolution. However, nearly a hundred years later it is easy to say that Americans were just in their actions as the evil British Empire forced their rule upon the colonies. The same can be said for the abolishment of slavery. In 1852, the idea of abolition was an abrasive ideology, but perhaps in a hundred years from now, Douglass argued, people would look back at history and say that the abolitionists were just and supporters of slavery were evil men. Douglass was trying to reconstruct the societal views of America towards slavery as, “the truly distinctive features of North American slavery were its racial bedrock and its thoroughly common character. Increasingly, the stark polarity between freedom and bondage became glaringly evident, for the debasement of slaves liberated others to take control of their destiny and to dream of liberty and equality” (Morgan 54). Morgan offers a point of reference of how much slavery was ingrained into American culture during 1852. Slavery was only tolerated and allowed to spread through the eyes of the law and society because of its wide spread acceptance. Had slavery been outlawed during the time of early colonials, the “particular institution” would have never gained social ratification, thereby an ideology abolishment would have been considered the just course of action. However, society’s acceptance of slavery left those who were born with inherent freedom to liberate those slaves in bondage. As slaves were unable to fight for their freedom on a higher level, it was the duty of white abolitionists and profound African Americans to pursue liberation of all slaves. The argument from white abolitionists began to strain the nation as they battled against the southern plantation owners.

Douglass then moves in the latter part of his speech condemning America for not remaining just to its founding principles. Douglass begins to argue that the Fourth of July to the slave is an incredibly deceitful misdemeanor as the nation attempts to recognize the freedom and liberty of its citizens. As the slave is not a citizen through the eyes of the law, to have a holiday promoting the rights outlined within the Constitution is of the upmost disrespectful mockery to all African Americans. Douglass was not condemning America without a just reason, the long built up resentment towards slavery was just beginning to boil over. Historically, 

“the results of all this mass new evidence is simply this, - that the worst that has been        hitherto said by isolated voices against American slavery has been abundantly confirmed;

that the distant picture of it has turned out the faint and pale beside the reality; that 

contact with the ‘patriarchal institution’ has turned into ardent abolitionists hundreds and 

thousands of men who, when they first went down South, were avowedly strong pro-

slavery Democrats” (Ludlow 7).

Here, Ludlow portrays Douglass’s urge for society to change its view on slavery. Douglass argued that a culture shift towards the denouncement of slavery would be more pivotal than indecisive lawmakers in Washington. Ludlow gives credit to Douglass’s claim as previous strong supporters of slavery were begging to turn towards abolition as they became in contact with reality. Whites from all aspects of society from blue collar workers to top businessmen when seeing the real inhumanity of slavery began to shift to new views of abolition rather than continuing to support the “particular institution.” 

Douglass’s speech had several consequences on the nation that were both immediate and long term. At the conclusion of Douglass’s speech, listeners may have been enlightened on some aspects of slavery that they were previously unaware of. White listeners who spent the previous day rejoicing our nation’s birth were now called to focus on the nation’s dark hypocrisy. Douglass revealed an uncomfortable truth that many Americans might have been oblivious to or chosen to ignore. Douglass call on the people of America that the issue of slavery is unavoidable and that it will require participation of each citizen to denounce the “particular institution” in order to have absolute abolishment. However, Douglass’s speech did have a longer lasting impact than a call for Americans to denounce slavery. Douglass is one of the great contributors to the abolition movement who, along with the tireless efforts of other abolitionists, pushed legislation in Washington to pass the 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery in all the United States of America. 

History and literature are closely intertwined components with one greatly affecting the other, most times unintentionally. Douglass’s speech is a direct consequence of the course of history, a reaction to the institutionalized slavery that built the greater part of the Southern economy and thereby becoming an integral part of the nation’s commerce. Douglass looks upon history as an inspiration and an example to determine a just course of action to abolish slavery. By closely examining history, Douglass is enticing a drastic change for the future. 
