What are your plans for the Fourth of July? In some respects, your answer may depend on your race, religion, sexual orientation, or whether you were even born in the U.S.A.
Because since the most recent changing of the guard, the memos distributed by the White House have been clear. But have no fear – there are options available for those who have been made to feel like they are “the other.”
Here in Washington, D.C., the city will host several celebrations to mark the 1776-2026 milestone, including a Great American State Fair (through July 10) on the National Mall and special fireworks on July 4.
As for the “Rally to end all Rallies,” headlined by the president, African Americans may, unfortunately, feel more like the uninvited guest who crashed the party instead of one who was on the invitation list.
But that’s nothing new. Despite Black people’s contributions and sacrifices— consider the blood that’s been shed and whose lives have been lost to build, protect, maintain, and enhance this nation— African Americans are still seeking equal rights. African Americans are still demanding what was promised: “40 acres and a mule.” And African Americans are still being told to wait.
Even Frederick Douglass, known as the “Lion of Anacostia,” wondered where African Americans fit into the July 4 holiday. On July 5, 1852, Douglass delivered a scathing oration in Rochester, New York, titled “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” He argued that the holiday was a painful mockery for enslaved people, famously declaring: “This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn.”
Douglass challenged America, highlighting the gross cruelty, injustice, and hypocrisy of a nation that boasted of liberty while enslaving millions of human beings. But given his optimism about the Founding Fathers, as well as the “saving principles” laid out in the Declaration of Independence, he was hopeful. He believed that America would eventually live up to its founding ideals.
And yet, 250 years later, efforts have recently been ramped up to turn the clock backwards, rather than allow our nation to truly become “one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all.”
But African Americans should not lament as our nation celebrates. Black Americans can observe longstanding traditions, rooted in family, faith, and the celebration of our survival. Many of these traditions often blend African heritage with the experiences of slavery, the Great Migration, and the Civil Rights Movement, focusing on building community and preserving history.
So, if you’re feeling left out this July 4, why not consider a sacred gathering like a cookout for family and friends? Just remember to include the sights, sounds, and aromas that would make the ancestors proud. You know, like old-school R&B/soul music; potato salad, collard greens, and ribs; and the echo of cards being slammed on a table while playing games like Spades or Bid Whist.
What to Black Americans is the Fourth of July? What is America without the contributions of African Americans?
