In Douglass’s speech he is emphasizing greatly on the idea that 4th of July is a form of hypocrisy. Douglass is defending his claim that 4th of July is one sided. His point in this speech is to identify that 4th of July only belongs to one group of people which are the white people. He emphasized on the idea that how can you celebrate the country’s freedom if not everyone was free. The 4th of July does not in anyway include “everyone” like it falsely portrays to be. People of this country who celebrates the 4th of July and claim it be an act of celebrating freedom is enforcing the misguided truth.
Quote: “This Fourth July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn. To drag a man in fetters into the grand illuminated temple of liberty, and call upon him to join you in joyous anthems, were inhuman mockery and sacrilegious irony.”
Paraphrase: While those who are included in the “freedom” are celebrating, African Americans are grieving. The 4th of July is ridicule amongst the African American people.
Explain: This quote helps Douglass to illustrate his problem because his purpose in the speech is to highlight and bring attention to the fact that 4th of July doesn’t imply to African Americans. Douglass in this part of the speech is identifying the humiliation given to the African American people who weren’t part of the “freedom” they are celebrating. When they are falsely submitted into a group where they don’t belong, they stand out.
Nice work! I would add that he is very purposely using the words “sacrilegious” and “inhuman” since they pride themselves on being the opposite in comparison to those from whom they claimed their freedom.