There is still much to be learned about the true meaning of liberty even after this year’s Fourth of July festivities concluded.
On July 13, Historic Newton, in collaboration with Newton Cultural Development, will explore Independence Day through the eyes of Frederick Douglass, who escaped slavery and was a famed 19th century abolitionist, writer, and orator.
Looking beyond the usual parades, fireworks, and barbeques, the upcoming statewide event, called Reading Frederick Douglass Together, will focus on his 1852 address, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” (full text; abridged).
“The speech itself is very powerful,” said Allison Pagliaro, Historic Newton’s director of education. The organization was able to bring back the program after receiving a Mass Humanities grant.
“I would love to do it yearly,” she said.
According to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Douglass’s pre-Emancipation Proclamation address was given “at an event commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence. … It was a scathing speech in which Douglass stated, ‘This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn.’”
In the speech, Douglass “stated that the nation’s founders were great men for their ideals of freedom. But in doing so he brings awareness to the hypocrisy of their ideals by the existence of slavery on American soil,” according to the museum.
Past is present
The upcoming all-ages, free event will be held at Newton’s Jackson Homestead and Museum, as well as other locations across the state.
According to Historic Newton, abolitionist William Jackson offered the Jackson Homestead as a “way station on the Underground Railroad.” With that in mind, “it seemed like a really good fit to [hold the activity there],” said Pagliaro, who said it is the museum’s 75th anniversary this year.
During the program, various volunteer readers will recite lines from an abbreviated version of Douglass’ powerful work. Pagliaro encouraged community members to sign up on Historic Newton’s website to recite lines.
“We’re really trying to show that you don’t have to have a background in history to find meaning in the speech,” she said. There will also be members of cultural and religious organizations, artists, members of FORJ (Families Organizing for Racial Justice), and others who will participate.
Afterward, there will be a community discussion about the context and content of the speech, a related craft activity, and free museum entry.
Pagliaro said that she hopes “that people attend the event and walk away with a sense of how we can learn from the past and how it’s relevant today.”
Event Details
- Historic Newton’s Reading Frederick Douglass Together event – featuring his 1852 speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” – will take place on Sunday, July 13, at 2PM at the Jackson Homestead and Museum (527 Washington Street, Newton).
- Guests are encouraged to RSVP online to help Historic Newton plan for this free event.
- Guests can bring a picnic blanket, lawn chairs, and snacks to enjoy on the back lawn of the homestead while listening to friends and neighbors read the speech.
- After the speech, guests can participate in a community discussion, do a related craft activity, and visit the museum for free to further explore abolition in the 19th-century.
- The event will take place rain or shine and is open to all ages. In case of inclement weather, Historic Newton will set up tents, or the event will take place inside the homestead.
