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Author Casey Gerald on Frederick Douglass and the Meaning of July 4

Author Casey Gerald on Frederick Douglass and the Meaning of July 4

KQED's Forum vor 6 Jahren

0:00

52:46

On July 5, 1852, Frederick Douglass delivered a speech titled "What
to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" -- calling attention to the
hypocrisy of the Declaration of Independence and its claim that
"all men are created equal.” Today, amid protests against racism
and a growing Black Lives Matter movement, equality is still a goal
in progress. And the promises of "life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness" ring differently, and perhaps more profoundly, in an
ongoing pandemic that continues to claim both lives and
livelihoods. Still, America and its ideals persist. This hour,
we’ll talk to author Casey Gerald about Douglass’ speech and the
current challenges we face as a nation, and hear what the Fourth of
July means to you.