Come and add your voice! Join us at Rokeby Museum in Ferrisburgh on Sunday, July 2 at 3:00 pm to read Frederick Douglass’s most famous speech, "What to the slave is the 4th of July," originally delivered on July 5, 1852.

Declining to speak on the 4th, Douglass instead castigated the United States for decades of slavery and injustice, saying "This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn."

Over a century and a half later, Douglass’s speech continues to inspire audiences to reflect on past and current inequalities and our responsibilities to advocate for social justice.

This statewide public reading event is sponsored by the Vermont Humanities Council. Free.

Jan 25, 2025, 1 to 4 PM

Jan 27, 2025, 6 PM

Jan 29, 2025, 2 to 3:30 PM