The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro

Well after reading the story, and comparing it to Henry Thoreau's philosophies, I think they are very similar to each other. Thoreau was all about civil disobedience, which in short terms resisted the government. He was also all about standing up for what you believe in, even if that means standing alone. In Fredrick Douglas story, it was told from the point of view of a negro who is looking at the meaning of The Fourth of July to him. He believes that the country, which is 76 years old, is just starting out. It is a baby, compared to other nations who number their years by thousands. Fredrick Douglas kept saying things like "your country" and "your independence" where he was not really including himself. I found this interesting because of the viewpoint that he has. Not only does he think that the nation is young, but that the Fourth of July does not really apply to him. I think this is where he opposes the nation, kind of like how Henry Thoreau opposed the government. He is still stuck in that stage where freedom is ours, but the punishment of being a slave is still put on him. The fact that we celebrate the holiday is disgusted by him because we are basically celebrating how we treated the slaves, and in the end we still gained our freedom. My favorite quote that I came across states, "May he not hope that high lessons of wisdom, of justice and of truth, will yet give direction to her destiny?"(Douglas, Fredrick). Basically from that quote I took the thought that the nation is still in its younger stage and has a lot of room to change. In this room to change comes a lot of experience. Fredrick Douglas has high hopes for this because he does believe the national "holiday" is not made for him because he is still given injustice. It was the British that we gained freedom from while he was gaining freedom, or rather yet escaping the slave camp that he was in. It is a very emotional story. I think it makes us look at the things that the government has done and the changes that the nation has made that has impacted many people of many different races. It helps put into perspective that the past cannot be changed, so somehow there has to be hope in the future; something needs to make up for all of the wrongdoings of the past. 


Douglas, Fredrick M. "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro by Frederick Douglass."History Is A Weapon. History Is A Weapon. Web. 07 Feb. 2012. <http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/douglassjuly4.html>