During the time Frederick Douglas performed his famous speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” slavery was a prominent and pressing issue. Through his speech, Douglas was able to capture and influence his audience to have a more negative view toward slavery. This was a feat nothing short of remarkable, as his predominately Caucasian audience was immensely difficult to sway during this time period. 

During this time, slavery and the slave trade was in full swing. Innocent children and families would be taken from their homes and shipped on a barge to America, where they would spend the rest of their lives serving someone in which they despised (Hancock 169). This gruesome journey was not pleasant in the slightest, as hundreds of slaves would be packed in the bottom of a barge no more than a few feet apart (Hancock 169).  Diseases were rampant on the barge, as sanitation was not a main concern for boat captains and wealthy slave traders (Hancock 169). Slaves were treated as property rather than living human beings during this time (Hancock 170). Wealthy plantation owners only concern was how much crop they could sell and profit from during the growing season (Hancock 170). This process of slavery was something that was all too real for Frederick Douglas. A former slave, Douglas endured the horrid process (Hancock 185). While enslaved, Douglas learned how to read and upon escaping he began further educating himself, striving to make a difference for his fellow African Americans (Hancock 185). In fear of being retaken a slave, he fled to England (Hancock 185).  Here he had his freedom bought by a friend, and continued his study on the Constitution (Hancock 186). This time period in his life is when Douglas became more educated and started to gain confidence in himself to inspire change (Finkelman 3). 

Upon returning to America, Douglas began speaking to groups about the wrongs of slavery and its impact upon others (Finkleman 3). His insight view on slavery proved tremendously advantageous, as it created a connection with his audience not previously seen in other speakers (Finkelman 3). Through these experiences, his audience was able to understand slavery from a different perspective, one they were not as familiar with (Finkleman 4). Many of his audience members were of Caucasian ethnicity, so his view on slavery was a completely new concept to them (Finkleman 4). Normally, a freed slave speaking about the topic of the abolishment of slavery would not bode well with white southerners at the time. However, through Douglas’s experiences he was able to capture his audience’s attention (Finkleman 5). 

In the speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” Douglas explains how unlike many free Americans, the fourth of July does not bring joy and hope to slaves. Instead, the holiday comes with broken promises and anger. Slaves during this time were not free, so the hypocrisy of freedom for all was something that they did not want to celebrate. This is because it was not true; America was not truly freed. Instead, America was bounded by chains, separated by the pigment color of its member’s skin. This concept of sadness that came with the Fourth of July was a fresh concept that caused Douglas’s audience to stop and ponder the reality of slavery. Douglas inspired change for the rights of African Americans one group at a time.

To Douglas, the Declaration of Independence seemed hypocritical. It reads, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Yet, African Americans were torn away from their families, bound by chains, and forced to perform tasks by their slave masters. This idea of hypocrisy is also something that Douglas stressed, as it did not make sense why the document stated the freedom of all America’s people when that was clearly not true. 

The language in which Douglas speaks can also be considered advantageous. Douglas does speak ornately or highfaluting, he instead speaks very plainly and simple. This style of speech portrays his message across very clearly without it hiding behind fancy words or interpretations. Through Douglas’s use of pronouns, he also conveys a message. Early in the speech he refers to Independence day as “the birthday of your national independence” and “the birth of your political freedom” in regards to his Caucasian audience (The Carolina Reader). By this use of pronouns, Douglas was able to further illustrate his point of inequality and separation without blatantly saying it. From the audience’s standpoint, they know immediately from the start the message of separation he is trying to portray.

In order to connect to his audience, Douglas uses the example of the oppression of the American people before the American Revolution (The Carolina Reader). He talks about how the American people felt they were treated unjust and felt controlled by the British Parliament. He then connects the feelings and thoughts of the pre-revolutionary Americans, to the feelings and thoughts of the African American slaves at the time.  This example is perfect, as it provides a situation in which the audience can relate to easily. Previously the audience could not relate to the thoughts the slaves were thinking because they never went through the things that the slaves did. However, with the addition of this example, the predominantly Caucasian audience was able to get a sense of how the slaves truly felt. This example was a critical step in changing the minds of his audience. 

Douglas was able to connect to many different groups of individuals throughout his life and helped pave the way for modern day racial equality. Through Douglas’s personal experiences and inside glimpses of the horrors of slavery, he was able to persuade the audience to understand slavery from a different perspective. Without individuals such as Frederick Douglas, freedom for African Americans may have never been achieved.
