Independence Day... for who?

7/4/2020

After news of the speech made last night, seeing that some white supremacist groups are having initiations this weekend (which may include the murder of people who look like us), and just the all over pain and exhaustion of the world I have attempted to recenter today.

I took the time to read What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July? I read it for the first time. It’s embarrassing to admit that but I must and I will not stop coming back to it. It is shocking to read words from 1852 and have them resonate and feel current. To read these words, these eloquent and poignant words, knowing that a person sits in a place of power for our country and could never match the delivery of a message is scary. Knowing that a person who sits in a place of power for our country is actively attempting to polarize our country more than it already was and threatening the lives of all BIPOC is scary.

It’s too much and lights a flame at the same time. We have some serious work.

So no... July 4th wasn’t about celebrating today. It wasn’t about the huge cookout. It was about staying home and staying safe because there are crazy people out there that don’t think our family deserves to be safe (not to mention a pandemic). Today was about learning and using that knowledge to make plans for change. Today was about learning history through music and dance (Thank you HAMILTON!).

There was joy today. There was pain today. There was fear and worry today. There was laughter today. There was HOPE today. And we won’t stop hoping and we won’t top working.

1 Comment

Patricia Crocker

7/28/2020 09:23:20 pm

Hi Hannah. Your Blog is incredible. I feel a connection to you not only because we work together, but because of my family. I am Blonde-Hair, Blue eyes. My husband is black. We have a child together who is biracial and we adopted a child who is white. This blog entry in particular interested me because Frederick Douglass is one of my favorite historical figures. I wanted to share with you something that I wrote around the same time:

Frederick Douglas Saw Hope in the Declaration of Independence

During this past Fourth of July weekend many people were posting on social media that the Fourth of July should not be celebrated because slavery was practiced when the Declaration of Independence was written. To further support their assertion, they used an excerpt of Frederick Douglass’ keynote address at an Independence Day celebration in Rochester, New York on July 5, 1852 that asked, "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?"
Learning about history and understanding it in the context of time is so very important. When I read Frederick Douglass’ whole speech, instead of just the small section that was posted, I had a very different perspective. I personally feel the strongest section of that speech is at the conclusion:
“…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…I, therefore, leave off where I began, with hope. While drawing encouragement from "the Declaration of Independence," the great principles it contains, and the genius of American Institutions, my spirit is also cheered by the obvious tendencies of the age…”The “obvious tendencies of the age” he refers to were referencing a greater ease of communication. Certainly, if Douglass, a fugitive slave in the 1800s could hold much hope and encouragement from the Declaration of Independence, so we can, too, have encouragement. Constructive communication and finding common ground can heal the racial tensions we are experiencing today. We have a lot to learn from Frederick Douglass. Americans of every background can celebrate the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the document that started this country but also laid the groundwork for the abolition of slavery. You can read his entire speech here: https://masshumanities.org/files/programs/douglass/speech_complete.pdf

Patricia Crocker
Essex Junction, Vermont

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Facebook became my blog. A space where I shared the resources, experiences, and reflections with those around me. I hope that the same discussions can happen here and I hope you will share your reflections, experiences, and resources as you feel comfortable.

We all have much to learn from each other!

Independence Day... for who?

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