MANCHESTER, NH – The Manchester Branch of the NAACP and Granite State Organizing Project invite city residents to join them in a reading abolitionist Frederick Douglass’ 19th-century speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”
The reading will take place July 3 at noon at Veterans Park in Manchester.
The abolition of slavery was set in motion in New York state on July 5, 1799. Frederick Douglass, one of our nation’s greatest orators and abolitionists, was asked to speak at an event commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In his provocative speech, Douglass said, “This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn.” And he asked, “Do you mean, citizens, to mock me, by asking me to speak today?”
This speech was first given by Douglass on the 5th of July, which was called “Black Man’s Independence Day” because Blacks were not allowed to march in white men’s parades. Their own parades would get disrupted by whites if they tried to march on the 4th of July.
His speech remains emotionally powerful and thought-provoking more than a century and a half after he gave it. Reading it causes us to think in new ways about our nation’s history, affords opportunities to open up discourse about race relations and citizenship, and raises awareness of the role slavery and race continue to play in our history and national discourse.
People of all ages and different walks of life are asked to gather at noon at Veterans Park in Manchester. Please bring a lawn chair and mask we will be social distancing.
Anyone wishing to take part in reading portions of the speech are asked to sign up by June 30 at naacpmanchesternh.com or by contacting the Manchester NAACP at (603) 215-7044.
ABOUT THE NAACP
Founded in 1909 in response to the ongoing violence against Black people around the country, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) is the largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization in the nation. We have over 2,200 units and branches across the nation, along with well over 2M activists.
The Manchester Branch was formed in 1964. Our mission is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons. The NAACP is a c4 organization (contributions are not tax-deductible).
ABOUT THE GRANITE STATE ORGANIZING PROJECT
The Granite State Organizing Project is a non-profit, non-partisan organization rooted in faith and democratic values and includes 28 religious, labor, and community organizations representing 40,000 New Hampshire families.
