For the 20th consecutive year, Renaissance House will host a reading of Frederick Douglass’s 1852 speech What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July on July 4. 

More than 40 volunteers took turns Tuesday morning, reciting sections of the over 10,000 word address that Frederick Douglass first delivered to the Rochester Sewing and Anti-Slavery Society on July 5, 1852.

On the fifth anniversary of the Federated Church’s dedication as part of The African-American Heritage Trail of Martha’s Vineyard, 14 Island residents gathered in the space to recite Frederick Douglass’s speech What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?

Frederick Douglass died over 100 years ago, but his words were very much alive Saturday at the Federated Church in Edgartown.

It is very much to be deplored that the subject of slavery in our country has become such a paramount interest in politics, as nearly to drive away from consideration other topics of general political interest, which the welfare of the country demands to be up for discussion. We ought now to take measures to remedy the present financial crisis and business embarrassment, and adopt measures to guard in the future against similar disasters.

This Saturday, the pioneering abolitionist, feminist and master orator visits the Tabernacle stage again, in Roger Guenveur Smith’s one-man show, Frederick Douglass Now.

The following is excerpted from a speech delivered by Frederick Douglass to the Rochester Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society on July 5, 1852.

The words of Frederick Douglass rang out from the Federated Church in Edgartown Tuesday, as readers recited the abolitionist orator’s famous speech.

The Federated Church will host a reading of Frederick Douglass’s powerful speech The Meaning of Fourth of July to the Negro.