What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July?

Wonderful and timelt video from the descendants of Frederick Douglass, an amazing man, reading his speech about the 4th of July. Very moving and I can see his passion and fire especially in Isadore. – via David Kerlick

The bit I find amazing – and this speech has been heavily cut here – is that after all Frederick went through, he still found hope of change in America:

Allow me to say, in conclusion, notwithstanding the dark picture I have this day presented of the state of the nation, I do not despair of this country.  There are forces in operation, which must inevitably work the downfall of slavery. “The arm of the Lord is not shortened,” and the doom of slavery is certain. I, therefore, leave off where I began, with hope.

Frederick Douglass

And another descendant, Kenneth Morris, posed for the recreation of a famous photograph of Frederick by Drew Gardner, in a series called Descendants commissioned by the Smithsonian.

And more shockingly also part of this series is Shannon LaNier recreating a portrait of his direct ancestor, Thomas Jefferson. He traces his lineage back to one of the six children that Jefferson had with his slave Sally Hemings.

Showing that even great men failed to give everyone independence and profited from slavery – and indeed were rapists because slaves cannot consent – and were exactly the people that Frederick was talking to.