Episode 416: The World's Largest Haunted House

Frederick Douglass's "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July? " is a powerful oration delivered on July 5, 1852, in Rochester, New York. In his speech, Douglass challenges the hypocrisy of celebrating freedom and independence while slavery persisted in the United States. He eloquently contrasts the ideals of liberty enshrined in the Declaration of Independence with the brutal realities faced by enslaved people. Douglass critiques the nation's religious institutions and political systems for perpetuating and tolerating slavery. He asserts that the Fourth of July is a day of mourning rather than celebration for the enslaved, as it symbolizes the injustice and oppression they endure. The speech is a searing indictment of American society and a passionate call for the abolition of slavery and the realization of true equality for all.