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 process of slavery was something that was all too real for Frederick Douglas. A former slave, Douglas endured the horrid process (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 (185). In fear of being retaken a slave, he fled to England (185). This time period in his life is when Douglas became more educated and started to gain confidence in himself to inspire change (Finkelman 3).  These experiences that Douglas endured throughout slavery is crucial for Douglas’s speech because it serves as the basis of what he discusses and how he persuades his audience to change their views on slavery. Through his personal experiences, Douglas is able to provide a real representation of slavery and why it should be abolished entirely. Prior to his speech Caucasian individuals possibly heard of the struggles of a slave, but they did not have it stare them directly in the eye like how Douglas presented it. For a slave to escape, flee the country, then come back is something that was not common in the slightest. This showed the dedication and determination that Douglas possessed to inspire change. The pure fact that Douglas came back to the country that put him through such horrible events, made the audience realize that maybe what he had to say was worth listening to. The audience should interpret Douglas’s speech as reasoning behind why the abolishment of slavery needs to happen, and how no human should have to endure such horrid circumstances.

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). However, what set him apart from other abolitionists was his ability to connect with the crowd. Although he was not heavily educated, he had one thing that education could not teach, which was resilience. He acquired this trait throughout his life by escaping slavery, fleeing America, and forcing to educate himself. This sense of resilience and determination is something that other abolitionists did not possess, and therefore did not connect to the audience like Douglas did. Many of his audience members were of Caucasian ethnicity, so there was a mixture of opinions within the audience (Finkleman 4). Many audience members might have been on the fence about the continuation of slavery, which is why they attended a freed slave’s speech. However, one thing is for certain. After seeing the resilience of Douglas and his connection to the emotions of the audience, they converted to abolitionist by the end of the speech. Douglas did not need the education that many other abolitionists had, because what he lacked in text book knowledge he made up with in passion and determination to make a difference in the world.

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. After introducing this idea of sadness with the holiday, Douglas built upon it by introducing the idea of making this holiday something that African Americans could celebrate. By introducing the sadness of the holiday first and playing on the emotions of the crowd, Douglas was able to install a want for change in the audience’s mind. A desire that wanted African American’s to enjoy the holiday just like all other Americans do. 

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 not speak ornately or highfaluting: he instead speaks very plainly and simple. This style of speech portrays his message very clearly without hiding it 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 256). 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. By his choice of pronouns, the audience is exposed to how African American’s feel in relation to society. The idea that the once great “land of the free” is not nearly free at all is something that the audience would be considering during this point in the speech. The oppression that the pilgrims felt in England was nothing different than the oppression that the slaves felt during this time (256). 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 endured the things that the slaves did. However, with the addition of this example, the predominantly Caucasian audience is able to get a sense of how the slaves truly felt. Douglas is able to instill the picture of unjust treatment in the audience’s mind perfectly through his use of language and example of unfair treatment of the pilgrims. These are more tools that Douglas uses to separate himself from other abolitionists and connect to his audience more deeply in order to change their views on slavery.

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 sense of resilience; 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.
