Happy 4th of July. America’s Independence Day. The day the nation officially separated itself from England and built its own empire on the basis of equality. The Founding Fathers stated: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. What beautiful words, filled with hope and unfortunate false promises. In 1776, people of color were not free, not independent, and not even considered people. While today we are free, we are not treated equally due to prejudice and loopholes within legislation as well as social and cultural influences that still rot our society today as a result of slavery. Every year on the 4th of July I take time to read Frederick Douglass’ speech, “What to a Slave is the 4th of July”. Then, the 4th was “a day that reveals to him [slaves], more than all other days in the year, the gross i
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