On July 5, 1852, Frederick Douglass stood before an abolitionist group and gave one of his most famous speeches: "What To The Slave Is The Fourth of July?" That speech confronted the hypocrisy of an Independence Day in a country that still endorsed the bondage and forced labor of more than 1 in 8 of its residents. In July 2020, @npr asked five Douglass descendants to read and respond to excerpts of that speech. They reflected on America's ongoing pursuit of liberty and justice for all. This proj

In 1852, Frederick Douglass was asked to give a talk to a crowd in Rochester, NY on July 5 for an Independence Day celebration. Here's the great James Earl Jones reading those words. Introduced by Howard Zinn. | Brandon Weber