What, to the slaves, is Fourth of July?

My son Daniel called me last night to read me this quote by Federick Douglass, from a speech entitled:

"What, to the Slaves, is Fourth of July?"

Frederick Douglass gave this speech on July 4th, 1852 to clearly remind Americans that promises made in the Declaration of Independence had not yet been fulfilled for African-American citizens. He had some strong things to say about the responsibility of the church.

"The fact that the church of our country (with fractional exceptions) does not esteem the "fugitive slave law" as a declaration of war against religious liberty implies that the church regards religion simply as a form of worship, an empty ceremony, and not a vital principle, requiring active benevolence, justice, love and good will towards man. It esteems sacrifice above mercy; psalms-singing above right doing; solemn meetings above practical rightousness. A worship that can be conducted by persons who refuse to give shelter to the houseless, to give bread to the hungry, clothing to the naked, and who enjoin obedience to a law forbidding these acts of mercy, is a curse, not a blessing to mankind. The bible addresses all such persons as "scribes, pharisees, hypocrites, who pay tithe of mint, anise and cummin, and have omittes the weightier matters of the law, judgement, mercy, and faith."