Reading: Frederick Douglas Speech and Comprehension Questions - Text and Audio

Frederick Douglass's Speech on the 4th of July

Background

As you read Frederick Douglass' speech, ask yourself, "Who is he talking to?" and ask yourself, "Who agrees with his opinion on the Independence Day holiday? Who does he disagree with?"

You will see that he uses many hard vocabulary words that are uncommon in everyday English. The words are defined at the end of each paragraph. Take your time to study the words as you read and listen to the speech. Part of becoming a strong reader is guessing the meaning of a sentence even if you don't understand each word. 

Frederick Douglass' Speech

Fellow Citizens, I am not wanting in respect for the fathers of this republic. The signers of the Declaration of Independence were brave men. 

wanting - lacking, not having enough

This is the 4th of July. It is the birthday of your National Independence and of your political freedom.

Fellow citizens, I shall not presume to dwell on the length of associations that cluster about this day. The simple story of it is that, 76 years ago, the people of this country were British subjects. Oppression makes a wise man mad. Your fathers were wise men, and if they did not go mad, they became restive under this treatment.

presume - focus on 

dwell - use a lot of time and mental energy

associations - connections

cluster - group

subject - a person controlled by a king

oppression - control of a group of people, often through discrimination and violence

restive - upset, bothered

With brave men there is always a remedy for oppression. They succeeded; and today you reap the fruits of their success. The freedom gained is yours; and you therefore, may properly celebrate this anniversary.

remedy - solution

reap - enjoy benefits

Fellow citizens, pardon me, allow me to ask, why am I called to speak here today? What have I or those I represent to do with your national independence? Are the great principles of political freedom and natural justice embodied in that Declaration of Independence extended to us? I am not included within the pale of this glorious anniversary!

principle - a guiding idea

embodied - contained or promised

pale - safe area

Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us. The blessing in which you this day, rejoice, are not enjoyed in common. The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity, and independence, bequeathed by your fathers is shared by you, not by me. The sunlight that brought life and healing  to you has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn.

rejoice - celebrate with happiness and partying

bequeathed - given, gifted

stripes - whip or lash marks

mourn - feel great sadness and grief for a personal loss

Fellow citizens; above your national tumultuous joy, I hear the mournful wail of millions! At a time like this scorching irony, not convincing argument is needed. O, had I the ability, and could reach the nations’ ear, I would today pour out a fiery stream of biting ridicule, blasting reproach, withering sarcasm, and stern rebuke. For it not that light that is needed, but fire, not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake. The feeling of the nations must be quickened. The conscience of the nation must be roused. The propriety of the nation must be startled; the hypocrisy of the nation must be exposed; and its crimes against God and man must be proclaimed and denounced.

tumultuous - making loud, confusing noise

wail - scream, cry

What to the American slave is your 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciation of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings with all your religious parade and solemnity are to him mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety and hypocrisy.

gross injustice - great unequal treatment by the law

cruelty -  treatment causing mental or physical harm

sham - a false show

license - permission

vanity - satisfaction with a person's own appearance

mockery - mean and bullying jokes and comments

bombast - loud talking,

fraud - trick

There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody, than are the people of these United States at this very hour. 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.

notwithstanding - not including

despair - feel hopeless