Events

The Reading of Frederick Douglass' "What to a Slave is the Fourth of July?" will take place on Sunday, June 26th at 6:00pm on the front steps of the Morse Institute Library in Natick. Each reader will then have the opportunity to read 1-3 paragraphs from the speech, which is about thirty minutes in total. The event will be filmed by local cable station Natick Pegasus. Historian Brenna Greer will deliver opening remarks and hold an informal dialogue about the…

Join is in reading Frederick Douglass' speech "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" RAIN DATE: July 1  

The Somerville Museum hosts an annual reading of Frederick Douglass’ famous address, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” delivered to an AntiSlavery Society in 1852. We are part of a number of communities across the Commonwealth that read this address together and reflect on our past and present. The readings are followed by our Project Scholar. This year, Kyera Singleton is our Project Scholar. This year, we’re also joining forces with the organization, Community Action Agency of…

After the Framingham History Center’s program on Dr. Solomon Carter Fuller in February, it was clear that many wanted to learn more about America’s first Black psychiatrist and his renowned sculptress wife, Meta Warrick Fuller. While researching her 2005 publication Solomon Carter Fuller: Where My Caravan Has Rested, author Mary Kaplan obtained privileged information from Solomon's personal notes as well as family interviews. As the foremost authority on the Fullers, one of her life goals is to share more of…

Join us for a communal reading of Frederick Douglass’ famed speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” Considered one of the most daring, eloquent speeches in the English language, Frederick Douglass’s fiery 1852 speech, “What to the Slave is the 4th of July?” challenges its audience, then and now, to consider the meaning of freedom, citizenship, and patriotism.