Frederick Douglass’s “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July” is a speech about the irony of the holiday of Fourth of July for the African American race. The holiday itself represents freedom for our nation from Great Britain, but the story talks about how on this holiday not everyone is a free citizen of the United States and how whites are hypocritical. African Americans wanted freedom, yet slavery was still rampant in American society.  While whites celebrated their freedom on this day, slaves were just reminded that freedom did not exist in their lives. The meaning of the Fourth of July is diverse between races because of the reminder of American Slavery that existed during our fight for independence. Through the help of articles Black Power U.S.A: The Human Side of Reconstruction 1867-1877 and Civil Rights, Black Power, and American Democracy, this paper will examine the negative connation that exists with the Fourth of July that influenced “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July”.

Black Power U.S.A: The Human Side of Reconstruction 1867-1877 by Lerone Bennet explains about Black power in the Reconstruction era, the era after the civil war when states that left the union were brought back and state governments were changed. Lerone states how, during this time period, it was the first time that blacks had any power in the country, even if it was just a small amount power. Bennet explains how strong civil rights and social welfare led to African Americans being able to hold positions of power in the government. He notes the importance of black advocates being identified now that they have freedom of speech instead of being anonymous like most advocates were in American history.  “Men who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” (Loveland, pg.74). Bennet also argues that learning from the mistakes made from the Reconstruction is just as important as the success it created. The Reconstruction can be seen as the Golden Age for African-Americans because of the advances made in their self-interests such as increase in wealth and equality among all people. Bennet finishes the passage with the conclusion that the Reconstruction provided hope that equality and advances are possible for the black race. 

Increase in African-American wealth led to many flocking to urban communities, which historically had been only majority white, and increased race interactions for the worse. Civil Rights, Black Power, and American Democracy by Peniel E. Joseph is an article about the important role black power played in the fight for equality. The article explains how the civil rights movement is important, and more specifically black power can be just significant because of its “controversial and combative tone” (Joseph, 2) that finally allowed African Americans to stand up for themselves.  Black power helps to provide depth for the history of African-Americans in the 1970’s because of all the tension that existed between whites and blacks. Blacks were still oppressed in the 1970’s and were fighting for their equality in society, but whites were still resisting civil right movements by blacks accompanying violence. The example this story uses is through the eyes of Malcolm X and his beliefs. It explains cultural difficulties that Malcolm went through in his life and how it helps students understand the lifestyle of a Black Power activist.  All these conflicts are important to history because they help provide insight and understanding of the black power and civil rights movement that existed in this era. 

Loveland (1969) and Joseph (2008) describes a significance of and a historical context of the Fredrick Douglass’s “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July.” Loveland (1969) and Douglass (1852) both call for advances that need to be made in society for blacks. For example, Douglass (1852) talks about the freedom that slaves are fighting for and the irony of 4th of July in the context that whites still keep down the slaves. Loveland (1969) calls for blacks not to conform to the white “lifestyle” and to create their own lifestyle. Joseph (2008) wants blacks to keep progressing and to embrace any situation to improve their lives. Douglass and Malcolm X are very similar because both of them are racial activists. Both called for progression in society to try and eliminate the racism and segregation that existed in their lifetimes. Douglass fought slavery during his lifetime while Malcolm X fought against segregation, when blacks had rights by laws but still mistreated by whites, during his lifetime. Malcolm X fight for equality, with Martin Luther King Jr., eventually succeed in banning segregation by demonstrating that blacks were not given the same opportunities as whites, and therefore still being oppressed by whites. Douglass fought for the abolishment of slavery and thanks to his fight the 13th Amendment was created which got rid of slavery in all the United States of America.

 Overall, this paper investigates the significance of Douglass (1852) and the relevant cultural and historical context. Throughout history African-Americans have been oppressed and kept without a voice in many different eras; however, over the decades’ racial leaders have stepped up and tried to fight for black rights and create a movement for a better lifestyle. Black power is a movement that still exists today, such as ‘Black Lives Matter’, as blacks still fight for inequality and protest over police brutality. However, Douglass would be elated at the progress we have made since the days of slavery in this country. 
