Reading of Frederick Douglass' Speech at the Varnum Memorial Libra ry
The Varnum Memorial Library is hosting a community reading of Frederick Douglass' speech "The Meaning of the Fourth of July for the Negro". Thursday, June 30th, 2016 @ 7:00 pm 194 Main Street, Jeffersonville.

On July 5th,1852 (before the Civil War) Frederick Douglass, a former slave and leading abolitionist, stunned his hosts in Rochester, Ny at an event commemorating Independence Day: " Fellow citizens, why am I called upon to speak here today? What have I, or those I represent, to do with your national Independence? Do you mean, citizens, to mock me, by asking me to speak today? What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July?" Certainly not freedom in 1852.

Come join us to hear the speech - community members are invited to read a paragraph in the communal reading. Refreshments will be served.

For more information, visit www.thevarnum.org or 644-2117.
View last year's reading https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VXXUzK5lecQ
No videotaping this year.