‘What to the Slave is the Fourth Of July?’: Descendants Read Frederick Douglass’ Speech

This report was originally released on July 3, 2020.

NPR: In the summer of 2020, the U.S. commemorated Independence Day amid nationwide protests for racial justice and systemic reforms in the wake of George Floyd’s death. That June, we asked five young descendants of Frederick Douglass to read and respond to excerpts of his famous speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”. It’s a powerful, historical text that reminds us of the ongoing work of liberation.

Featuring in the video are (alphabetically) Douglass Washington Morris II, 20 (he/him,) Isidore Dharma Douglass Skinner, 15 (they/their), Zoë Douglass Skinner, 12 (she/her), Alexa Anne Watson, 19 (she/her), and Haley Rose Watson, 17 (she/her).