Black Agenda Report
Black Agenda Report
News, commentary and analysis from the black left.

  • Home
  • Africa
  • African America
  • Education
  • Environment
  • International
  • Media and Culture
  • Political Economy
  • Radio
  • US Politics
  • War and Empire

"What to the Slave is the 4th of July?" read by Ossie Davis
Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
01 Jul 2022
🖨️ Print Article

Black Agenda Radio · "What to the Slave is the 4th of July?" read by Ossie Davis

On July 5, 1852 Frederick Douglass was asked to speak on the topic of the nation’s independence celebration. Now known as "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?", the speech was a stinging indictment of slavery in the U.S., but the words are still relevant to Black people 170 years later. The late Ossie Davis read excerpts from Douglass’s remarks.

Slavery in U.S.
Frederick Douglass

Related Podcasts

Frederick Douglass
Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
"What to the Slave is the 4th of July?" read by Ossie Davis
03 July 2024
As we grow closer to the Fourth of July, BAR once again shares
Twenty Dollars and Change: Harriet Tubman and the Ongoing Fight for Racial Justice and Democracy
Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
Twenty Dollars and Change: Harriet Tubman and the Ongoing Fight for Racial Justice and Democracy
03 March 2023
Black Agenda Radio July 1, 2022
Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
Black Agenda Radio July 1, 2022
01 July 2022
We discuss reproductive justice in the wake of the supreme court ruling which overturned the Roe v. Wade decision.

More Stories


  • Roberta Rivolta
    Western Activism and the Axis of Resistance
    23 Sep 2026
    Western pro-Palestinian activism isolates Palestine from its regional allies, depoliticizing its struggle and reinforcing colonial divisions.
  • Nicholas Mwangi
    US Votes Against UN Resolution Promoting Maps Reflecting Africa’s True Size
    23 Sep 2026
    The United Nations has adopted a resolution calling for the use of map projections that more accurately portray the size and proportions of the world’s continents, particularly correcting the long-…
  • BAR Radio
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Black Agenda Radio September 18, 2026
    18 Sep 2026
    In this week’s segment, we discuss organizers in Washington, D.C. who developed a transit solidarity program to oppose transit fare crackdowns that criminalize poverty. But we begin with a discussion…
  • Yemen
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Yemen Analysis with Dr. Shireen Al-Adeimi
    18 Sep 2026
    Dr. Shireen Al-Adeimi provides historical background and analysis of events in Yemen as Ansar Allah advances against Saudi-backed mercenaries.
  • PACA
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Pan-African Community Action Transit Solidarity Fights the Criminalization of Poverty in Washington
    18 Sep 2026
    Pan-African Community Action (PACA) released a Transit Solidarity Plan for Washington, DC that challenges DC fare evasion crackdowns by collecting and redistributing fare cards to residents in the…
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us