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| | The Best of CommonWealth Beacon OPINION | | A flyer for the series of recitations across the state of Douglass's famous speech "What to the slave is the Fourth of July?" |
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During the years of preparation for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, I’ve known one thing for certain: on July 4, 2026, I will read Frederick Douglass somewhere in Massachusetts. |
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This is the 18th year in which Mass Humanities has sponsored readings of Douglass’s famous speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” This year, fittingly, 76 communities signed on to read the speech. While each event is different, most take the form of a shared recitation of the speech, with one person reading a passage, then handing over the microphone for a neighbor to read the next. |
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The address is a searing critique that begins with praise for the founders’ ideals before lambasting the hypocrisy of a nation that claimed to treasure liberty while millions of its people lived in chains. Douglass weaves together a deep understanding of the revolutionary era with his own experiences of the slave trade, including the horrors inflicted by the Fugitive Slave Act. |
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I love parades and fireworks, but I know of nothing more meaningful or more patriotic than coming together with my fellow Americans to revel in this work of rhetorical genius and its demands for our democracy. (You can find a full list of readings here.) |
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These community-driven events present a stark contrast to the plans for this summer in Washington, DC, where a gluttonous, angry attempt to cleanse our past has focused on garish construction projects, staging concerts featuring C-list celebrities, and generating revenue for a circle of people with connections to the president. Instead of a message of unity, the public receives another airing of grievances, with UFC fights and new statues to boot. With millions of dollars of public money and one person to please, these efforts are neither patriotic nor surprising. |
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| The Senate is debating energy legislation that could phase out GSEP by 2030. Ask your senator to protect public safety, reduce methane leaks, and preserve the skilled jobs that keep Massachusetts' energy system safe. | |
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This summer, residents here have an opportunity to choose a different path. By reading the speech Douglass delivered on July 5, 1852, we can follow in the footsteps of the many Massachusetts residents who worked alongside the abolitionist leader and unrivaled orator. Rather than worshipping at the foot of new statues, we can uplift the lives and courage of those who worked together to win more freedoms for their fellow Americans. |
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| We welcome informed commentary about local, state and national public policy. | |
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| Have a scoop you want to share? Click below to get in touch with the CommonWealth Beacon team. | |
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More Commentary from CommonWealth Voices | |
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