Powerful and inspiring, this speech by noted abolitionist and former slave Frederick Douglass continues to resonate with readers today. Delivered on July 5th, 1852, in Rochester, New York, Douglass eloquently challenges the hypocrisy of celebrating Independence Day while slavery still exists in America. This edition includes an introduction by a prominent African American scholar as well as historical context and analysis.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.