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megryanreally's review
5.0
Acknowledging the absurdity of his being asked to speak in reverence of a day that symbolizes freedom and justice for only white males (who own land), Douglass condemns whites for their hypocrisy and lack of conscience and begs them to denounce their crime before they fall to their demise as Israel does before God.
gijs's review against another edition
4.0
Douglas states the answer in no uncertain terms;
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 cruelty 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.
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 cruelty 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.
tsharris's review against another edition
5.0
Essential for all Americans
Absolutely essential reading for every American that continues to resonant. How to overcome the hypocrisy that is every American's birthright...
Absolutely essential reading for every American that continues to resonant. How to overcome the hypocrisy that is every American's birthright...
seaa's review against another edition
Honestly, soooooo much of what he said in 1852 still holds true today. He was incredibly insightful about American Christianity, republicans, and the general hypocrisy of the country. He ended on a hopeful note but did not apologize for the scathing and severe read he performed on the US. I’d say this should be read in schools but where I am (Texas), that’d be highly unlikely.
luper1103's review against another edition
4.0
Read for an AP Lang summer assignment - The text successfully portrays the true horrors of slavery and explains why it isn’t constitutional, in fact, it goes against Americas core values of liberty and freedom. At the time, considered a drastic thought and the idea of no slavery seemed unnecessary, untimely, or impractical. Douglass’s goal was to make the idea of abolition more rampant and acceptable throughout the North.
jordancfield's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
5.0