“What, to the slave, is the Fourth of July?” Frederick Douglass asked in a historic speech nearly 200 years ago, and Boston readers asked the same again to a crowd gathered in Downtown Crossing early Tuesday afternoon.
“This Fourth of July is yours, not mine,” recited a young kid from Douglass’s words to the large crowd gathered around on the Downtown Crossing stairs and plaza. “You may rejoice, I must mourn.”
The event, hosted by businesses in the area and emceed by WCVB’s Rhondella Richardson, featured a reading of the famous speech by numerous community members, along with a selection of musicians and performers.
The speech, delivered originally to citizens in Douglass’s hometown Rochester, New York, on July 4, 1852, recalls the history of the country’s founding while reminding listeners of the brutal realities of slavery and calling for emancipation.
“My only goal is you take something away and you spread the message of inclusivity and knowing our history,” Richardson said, introducing the speech. “And get out on the Fourth of July in downtown Boston and partying.”
The celebration kicked off at 1:30 p.m. and lasted a couple hours, narrowly missing the worst of the rain. Even as the sprinkle picked up, a sizeable crowd continued to dance to the calypso drums under their ponchos, umbrellas and tents.
“They seem to be loving it,” said singer Darlene Wynn, who performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing” to kick off the event. “No one cares about the rain. Everyone so far seems to be good. And you can’t beat free ice cream, right?”
People noted the importance of commemorating all of the country’s history during the patriotic holiday.
“It’s a powerful speech,” said Anna Davis, watching the event in the drizzle from under a tree with her young son clutching a small flag. … “This seemed like a chance for us to appreciate some of the country’s history on this day.”
“Boston is very rich in history and culture for a lot of people of color,” said Minister Connie Kirven, who read part of the speech. “And so for us it’s making sure that this city remembers culturally, all of what we’ve gone through, and also the historical figures who are of color.”
