"WHAT'S PAST IS PROLOGUE…"
https://panopticonreview.blogspot.com/.../frederick…
FROM THE PANOPTICON REVIEW ARCHIVES
(Originally posted on July 4, 2012):
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Frederick Douglass, 1817-1895: On The Larger Meaning Of the Fourth of July in American History
All,
In direct response to yet another annual July 4th ritual "celebration" of this country's utterly demagogic and heinous display of pathological lies, phony mythmaking, braindead posturing, rhetorical grandiosity, and demented sabre-rattling propaganda in the ruthless protection and pursuit of "patriotism", profits (structural, systemic, and institutional theft), and "American exceptionalism" by politicians, corporations, the media, and far too many clueless citizens alike who actually believe in and actively promote this deadly swill I will share with you a brilliant antidote to this madness in the superlative analysis and truly prophetic and elegant oratory of the legendary African American leader and statesman Frederick Douglass (1817-1895), one of the most singularly important, profound, and pivotal historical figures of the 19th century.
Douglass was an escaped slave from Maryland who at the age of 28 wrote the first of three world famous autobiographies of his life and times entitled "Narrative Of the Life of Frederick Douglass" (1845). During the course of an absolutely extraordinary life Douglass became an outstanding political activist, journalist, author, educator and one of the major antislavery abolitionists in the country as well as a leading and powerful advocate of the democratic, political, economic and human rights of both African Americans and women in the United States. The founder and editor of the pioneering radical newspaper The North Star in 1847 he was not only a friend, political confidant, and militant colleague of the white revolutionary abolitionist John Brown, but also a critical confidant and associate of President Abraham Lincoln. From 1889-1891 Douglass was accorded U.S. diplomatic status as consul-general to Haiti.
Kofi
https://panopticonreview.blogspot.com/.../frederick…
FROM THE PANOPTICON REVIEW ARCHIVES
(Originally posted on July 4, 2012):
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Frederick Douglass, 1817-1895: On The Larger Meaning Of the Fourth of July in American History
All,
In direct response to yet another annual July 4th ritual "celebration" of this country's utterly demagogic and heinous display of pathological lies, phony mythmaking, braindead posturing, rhetorical grandiosity, and demented sabre-rattling propaganda in the ruthless protection and pursuit of "patriotism", profits (structural, systemic, and institutional theft), and "American exceptionalism" by politicians, corporations, the media, and far too many clueless citizens alike who actually believe in and actively promote this deadly swill I will share with you a brilliant antidote to this madness in the superlative analysis and truly prophetic and elegant oratory of the legendary African American leader and statesman Frederick Douglass (1817-1895), one of the most singularly important, profound, and pivotal historical figures of the 19th century.
Douglass was an escaped slave from Maryland who at the age of 28 wrote the first of three world famous autobiographies of his life and times entitled "Narrative Of the Life of Frederick Douglass" (1845). During the course of an absolutely extraordinary life Douglass became an outstanding political activist, journalist, author, educator and one of the major antislavery abolitionists in the country as well as a leading and powerful advocate of the democratic, political, economic and human rights of both African Americans and women in the United States. The founder and editor of the pioneering radical newspaper The North Star in 1847 he was not only a friend, political confidant, and militant colleague of the white revolutionary abolitionist John Brown, but also a critical confidant and associate of President Abraham Lincoln. From 1889-1891 Douglass was accorded U.S. diplomatic status as consul-general to Haiti.
Kofi
FREDERICK DOUGLASS
1817-1895
"What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelly to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciations of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade, and solemnity, are, to him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy—a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices, more shocking and bloody, than are the people of these United States, at this very hour. Go where you may, search where you will, roam through all the monarchies and despotisms of the old world, travel through South America, search out every abuse, and when you have found the last, lay your facts by the side of the everyday practices of this nation, and you will say with me, that, for revolting barbarity and shameless hypocrisy, America reigns without a rival.”
--Frederick Douglass, "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?", Speech delivered at Corinthian Hall in Rochester, NY July 5, 1852
"What's Past is Prologue…"
https://panopticonreview.blogspot.com/2015_06_28_archive…
https://www.democracynow.org/.../3/what_to_the_slave_is_4th
FROM THE PANOPTICON REVIEW ARCHIVES
(Originally posted on July 4, 2015):
Saturday, July 4, 2015
"What to the Slave is the 4th of July?": James Earl Jones Reads Frederick Douglass's Historic Speech from July 5, 1852
--Frederick Douglass, "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?", Speech delivered at Corinthian Hall in Rochester, NY July 5, 1852
"What's Past is Prologue…"
https://panopticonreview.blogspot.com/2015_06_28_archive…
https://www.democracynow.org/.../3/what_to_the_slave_is_4th
FROM THE PANOPTICON REVIEW ARCHIVES
(Originally posted on July 4, 2015):
Saturday, July 4, 2015
"What to the Slave is the 4th of July?": James Earl Jones Reads Frederick Douglass's Historic Speech from July 5, 1852
VIDEO: https://www.democracynow.org/embed/story/2026/7/3/what_to_the_slave_is_the
In a Fourth of July holiday special, we begin with the words of Frederick Douglass. Born into slavery around 1818, Douglass became a key leader of the abolitionist movement. On July 5, 1852, in Rochester, New York, he gave one of his most famous speeches, "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro." He was addressing the Rochester Ladies Antislavery Society. This is actor James Earl Jones reading the speech during a performance of historian Howard Zinn’s acclaimed book, "Voices of a People’s History of the United States." He was introduced by Zinn.
TRANSCRIPT:
AMY GOODMAN: In this holiday special, we begin with the words of Frederick Douglass. Born into slavery around 1818, Douglass became a key leader of the abolitionist movement. On July 5, 1852, in Rochester, New York, he gave one of his most famous speeches, "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro." He was addressing the Rochester Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society. This is James Earl Jones reading the historic address during a performance of Howard Zinn’s Voices of a People’s History of the United States. He was introduced by Howard Zinn.
HOWARD ZINN: Frederick Douglass, once a slave, became a brilliant and powerful leader of the anti-slavery movement. In 1852, he was asked to speak in celebration of the Fourth of July.
FREDERICK DOUGLASS: [read by James Earl Jones] Fellow-citizens, pardon me, allow me to ask, why am I called upon to speak here to-day? What have I, or those I represent, to do with your national independence? Are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us? And am I, therefore, called upon to bring our humble offering to the national altar, and to confess the benefits and express devout gratitude for the blessings resulting from your independence to us?
I am not included within the pale of this glorious anniversary! Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us. The blessings in which you this day rejoice are not enjoyed in common. The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity, and independence bequeathed by your fathers is shared by you, not by me. The sunlight that brought life and healing to you has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn. To drag a man in fetters into the grand illuminated temple of liberty, and call upon him to join you in joyous anthems, were inhuman mockery and sacrilegious irony. Do you mean, citizens, to mock me, by asking me to speak today?
What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days of the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is a constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciation of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade and solemnity, are, to Him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy—a thin veil to cover up crimes that would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation of the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of these United States at this very hour.
At a time like this, scorching irony, not convincing argument, is needed. O! had I the ability, and could reach the nation’s ear, I would, to-day, pour forth a stream, a fiery stream of biting ridicule, blasting reproach, withering sarcasm, and stern rebuke. For it is not light that is needed, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, the earthquake. The feeling of the nation must be quickened; the conscience of the nation must be roused; the propriety of the nation must be startled; the hypocrisy of the nation must be exposed; and the crimes against God and man must be proclaimed and denounced.
AMY GOODMAN: James Earl Jones reading Frederick Douglass’s famous 1852 Independence Day address in Rochester, New York. That was part of a performance of Howard Zinn’s Voices of a People’s History of the United States.
In a Fourth of July holiday special, we begin with the words of Frederick Douglass. Born into slavery around 1818, Douglass became a key leader of the abolitionist movement. On July 5, 1852, in Rochester, New York, he gave one of his most famous speeches, "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro." He was addressing the Rochester Ladies Antislavery Society. This is actor James Earl Jones reading the speech during a performance of historian Howard Zinn’s acclaimed book, "Voices of a People’s History of the United States." He was introduced by Zinn.
TRANSCRIPT:
AMY GOODMAN: In this holiday special, we begin with the words of Frederick Douglass. Born into slavery around 1818, Douglass became a key leader of the abolitionist movement. On July 5, 1852, in Rochester, New York, he gave one of his most famous speeches, "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro." He was addressing the Rochester Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society. This is James Earl Jones reading the historic address during a performance of Howard Zinn’s Voices of a People’s History of the United States. He was introduced by Howard Zinn.
HOWARD ZINN: Frederick Douglass, once a slave, became a brilliant and powerful leader of the anti-slavery movement. In 1852, he was asked to speak in celebration of the Fourth of July.
FREDERICK DOUGLASS: [read by James Earl Jones] Fellow-citizens, pardon me, allow me to ask, why am I called upon to speak here to-day? What have I, or those I represent, to do with your national independence? Are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us? And am I, therefore, called upon to bring our humble offering to the national altar, and to confess the benefits and express devout gratitude for the blessings resulting from your independence to us?
I am not included within the pale of this glorious anniversary! Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us. The blessings in which you this day rejoice are not enjoyed in common. The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity, and independence bequeathed by your fathers is shared by you, not by me. The sunlight that brought life and healing to you has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn. To drag a man in fetters into the grand illuminated temple of liberty, and call upon him to join you in joyous anthems, were inhuman mockery and sacrilegious irony. Do you mean, citizens, to mock me, by asking me to speak today?
What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days of the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is a constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciation of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade and solemnity, are, to Him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy—a thin veil to cover up crimes that would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation of the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of these United States at this very hour.
At a time like this, scorching irony, not convincing argument, is needed. O! had I the ability, and could reach the nation’s ear, I would, to-day, pour forth a stream, a fiery stream of biting ridicule, blasting reproach, withering sarcasm, and stern rebuke. For it is not light that is needed, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, the earthquake. The feeling of the nation must be quickened; the conscience of the nation must be roused; the propriety of the nation must be startled; the hypocrisy of the nation must be exposed; and the crimes against God and man must be proclaimed and denounced.
AMY GOODMAN: James Earl Jones reading Frederick Douglass’s famous 1852 Independence Day address in Rochester, New York. That was part of a performance of Howard Zinn’s Voices of a People’s History of the United States.
