Historical and Cultural contexts can impact a text tremendously. For example, in “What to a slave is the fourth of July”, Douglas reiterates the main topic of “Are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us (blacks)?". Without understanding the context of Slavery in America, the Declaration of Independence and the life of Frederick Douglass the story would be almost meaningless. Whereas most Americans were celebrating freedom and Independence, Frederick Douglass and Blacks across the nation were defeated, the essential freedom to all did not extend to them. By explaining the context of Frederick Douglass speech, we can explain the reasons behind this problem in America.

By the time Frederick Douglass gave this memorable speech, slavery in America had been around for hundreds of years. Although recently abolished by the British, the United States passed the compromise of 1850. This allowed states to enter free or slave, nonetheless for every free state there must be a slave state. To many this looked like a step in the right direction but to Douglass, it was unimaginable that indentured servitude still existed in such a developed world. As Douglass began his talk, he admitted to being nervous, afraid of what could happen when a former slave speaks his mind(Kohn). Within Douglass’ speech he makes several key remarks about slavery in America in which you must understand the context to understand. In Colacio "Frederick Douglass and the Fourth of July: Speaking Truth to America”, Colacio contextualizes the turmoil across America in the middle of the 19th century. As Douglass reiterates “The Fourth of July is yours, not mine”, Colacio describes the “hypocrisy of Americans”(Colacio). Colacio states the “extreme hypocrisy of Americans” to celebrate the principals in which it was founded (freedom, liberty and justice for all), while Americans continue to segregate and enslave the black community. 

On July, 4 1776 the newly founded United States of America passed their nations Declaration of Independence. Passed by the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776, announced that the colonies, who were presently at war with Britain, were declared as 13 sovereign nations, no longer under British control. In Colacio “Speaking Truth to America” Colacio paints the big picture behind the declaration of Independence. First, being the statement “All men are created equal”, to the founding fathers, this meant that no man should be under the same oppression brought on by the British rulers. Second, “All men have basic human rights”. These human rights include the freedom from slavery, freedom of life and liberty and the freedom of privacy(Colacio). Within Douglass’ speech, he touches upon the Declaration of Independence and says “The principals contained in that instrument (Declaration of Independence) are saving principals, stand by those principals, be true to them on all occasion, at whatever cost.” Douglass remarks on the direct hypocrisy of the American people, how can he celebrate a country who cannot extend their laws to all people? Colacio’s background on the Declaration is crucial to understand the principals Douglass speaks upon. 

Lastly, to full understand the context behind Frederick Douglass’ “What to a Slave is the Fourth of July” we must understand the life of Frederick Douglass.  Margaret Kohns, Frederick Douglass’s Master-Slave Dialectic depicts Frederick Douglass struggles between his personal freedom, violence and become a recognizable figure. This article conveys his various speeches while describing his self-proclaimed “pacifism” in his early years and his reaction to violence later in life. Her paints a clear picture of Douglass’ early slave struggles, his relationship with his slave masters and his journey to safety. Douglass’ early struggle consisted between pacifism and slave revolt violence.  First of all, In Frederick Douglass’s Master-Slave Dialectic, Margaret Kohn, depicts a struggle between master and slave in “The Phenomenology of Spirit”. Kohn describes this inter personal relationship as a bond between slave master and slave, the slave works instead of fighting in hopes of emancipation, creating a sort of bond between slave and master. This bond between slave and master is supposedly reiterated by Douglass in his early years. After his freedom, several speeches show Douglass struggle with pacifism towards slave masters. In Frederick Douglass “What is a Slave to the Fourth of July” Douglass points to his struggle between becoming a recognizable figure, Douglass states “But I fancy I hear some one of my audience say, it is just in this circumstance that you and your brother abolitionists fail to make a favorable impression on the public mind”. As Margaret Kohn describes, Douglass struggled with gaining a favorable audience in America, his story was there, the struggles of his life were there, but nobody seemed to listen. As Douglass reiterates his disagreement with the hypocrisy of most Americans, understanding Maragaret Kohns description of Douglass personal struggles almost essential to understanding Douglass argument.

To fully understand a historical piece, understanding the context of the work is crucial to gaining all information from the piece. Understanding the history behind Slavery in the world before Douglass 1852 speech, is absolutely crucial to understand Douglass full meaning behind quotes such as “oppression makes a wise man mad”. When Douglass speaks on slavery, it is essential to understand the hardship faced by many indentured servants. The Declaration of Independence boasts several main points, such as that all men are created equal and the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness. Douglass argument between white and black celebration of the fourth of July, revolves around the context of Americas key document. Lastly, as Frederick Douglass battled between slave, author, journalist and government official, it is important to understand his personal struggles along the way. Without understanding the historical and cultural context of Douglass “What to a slave is the Fourth of July” contextualizing Douglass’ argument between the hypocrisy of American citizens and the differences between the white and black celebrations of the Fourth of July would be almost impossible.
