“What, to the slave, is the Fourth of July?” Frederick Douglass requested in a historic speech almost 200 years in the past, and Boston readers requested the identical once more to a crowd gathered in Downtown Crossing early Tuesday afternoon.
“This Fourth of July is yours, not mine,” recited a younger child from Douglass’s phrases to the massive crowd gathered round on the Downtown Crossing stairs and plaza. “You may rejoice, I must mourn.”
The occasion, hosted by companies within the space and emceed by WCVB’s Rhondella Richardson, featured a studying of the well-known speech by quite a few group members, together with a number of musicians and performers.
The speech, delivered initially to residents in Douglass’s hometown Rochester, New York, on July 4, 1852, recollects the historical past of the nation’s founding whereas 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 mentioned, 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 pair hours, narrowly lacking the worst of the rain. Even because the sprinkle picked up, a sizeable crowd continued to bounce to the calypso drums beneath their ponchos, umbrellas and tents.
“They seem to be loving it,” mentioned singer Darlene Wynn, who carried out “Lift Every Voice and Sing” to kick off the occasion. “No one cares about the rain. Everyone so far seems to be good. And you can’t beat free ice cream, right?”
People famous the significance of commemorating the entire nation’s historical past throughout the patriotic vacation.
“It’s a powerful speech,” mentioned Anna Davis, watching the occasion within the drizzle from beneath a tree along with her younger 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,” mentioned Minister Connie Kirven, who learn a 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.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com”