For many Black Americans, the 4th of July is a reminder of freedom we were denied. When the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, Black people were still enslaved, excluded from the very liberties being celebrated. Frederick Douglass’ iconic 1852 speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” cut to the core of this hypocrisy and still resonates today.
While some Black Americans embrace the day as a chance to celebrate family, community, and hard-won progress, others reject it, choosing instead to center holidays like Juneteenth, Kwanzaa, or Emancipation Day as true markers of Black liberation.
The modern Black response to the 4th of July is layered—ranging from full participation in the cookouts and fireworks, to active resistance and critique of a nation still struggling with systemic racism.
Here are a few things to consider. Black people were enslaved when the U.S. declared its independence.
The Constitution originally counted enslaved Black people as three-fifths of a person.
Frederick Douglass once said, “This Fourth of July is yours, not mine.”
He also called out the contradiction of celebrating freedom while slavery persisted.
Juneteenth was introduced as a Counter-Narrative to the 4th of July holiday and is increasingly recognized as the true Independence Day for Black Americans considering it celebrates the delayed freedom of enslaved Black people in Texas in 1865.
There are some Black people who view the 4th of July as merely a day off from the 9 to 5 refined slavery called the low wage and debt slavery rat race, a family gathering, a reclamation of space. Others see it as hollow patriotism given ongoing police violence, voter suppression, and the racial wealth gap.
When you compare Black patriotism vs. Black protest, you can seethe duality of serving a country that often devalues Black lives. Figures like Colin Kaepernick and movements like Black Lives Matter highlight this tension.
There’s also a big cultural shift as a growing number of Black Americans are choosing Juneteenth over July 4th as their primary celebration of freedom. Figures like Colin Kaepernick and movements like Black Lives Matter highlight this tension.
As a reuters.com, there is a cultural shift of a growing number of Black Americans choosing Juneteenth over July 4th as their primary celebration of freedom.
Here are a few quotes from famous historical figures about the 4th of You Lie:
Frederick Douglass: “What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July?”
Langston Hughes: “America never was America to me.”
And the modern sentiment is as follows: “We built this country, but the holiday was never built for us.”
