"What to the Slave is 4th of July?": James Earl Jones Reads Frederick Douglass's Historic Speech

[@michealwillis]

Fredrick Douglass wrote the hell out of that piece, and James Earl Jones read the hell out of it! 🙏🏾

[@dellamcghee468]

Say it Loud!

[@imperialmotoring3789]

And Douglass was a Republican.

[@MsRoadtoRiches]

I've always hated the 4th of July. Frederick Douglas' words have enlightened me and now I know exactly why I detest this holiday. Thank you.

[@BChan1991]

Harry Hhhhjtfhn no we dont. our military is about all we can brag about. america is a buff coward with a gun

[@TelephoneToughGuy]

Harry Hhhhjtfhn How ignorant you are. I lived in the US for several years; now I'm back home in Finland, by far the best country I've ever visited.

[@TelephoneToughGuy]

Harry Hhhhjtfhn You have no clue of what you're talking about. First of all, we have no "uncontrolled immigration." The number of immigrants are increasing, but I would argue that it is a good thing because without immigration, Finland's population would be declining. Our culture is not disappearing, lol... Maybe you should be worried about your own culture, since you have more than twice the amount of immigrants as a percentage of the population: About 6% of Finland's population is foreign born (www.vaestoliitto.fi/tieto_ja_tutkimus/vaestontutkimuslaitos/tilastoja/maahanmuuttajat/maahanmuuttajien-maara/), whereas over 13% of the US population are immigrants (www.migrationpolicy.org/article/frequently-requested-statistics-immigrants-and-immigration-united-states). Now, let's compare crime statistics: The US crime levels are 2 times higher than Finland, opiate use 6 times higher, intentional homicide rate 3 times higher, rape rate 80% higher than Finland. And this with the increased number of refugees. www.nationmaster.com/country-info/compare/Finland/United-States/Crime . Furthermore, it's quite ironic for you to tell me "enjoy living in 1984," when it is the US government that has conducted the global surveillance programs. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Snowden Here's a suggestion: do more well-rounded research instead of focusing on right-wing conspiratorial anti-muslim sites.

[@celestinelatham5869]

Indeed 🖤 don't celebrate No holidays if only black people knew all that important history thank you Frederick Douglass ✊🏿✊🏿✊🏿✊🏿✊🏿✊🏿✊🏿🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

[@IshtarNike]

Wow. Douglass didn't pull any punches. Just think. If he'd given that speech today Fox news et. al. would probably explode from indignation and zealous patriotic anger.

[@allisonschempf2230]

hoodiewoman louisiana Thank you for including PBS along with the rest of the MSM. They can't afford to lose their corporate sponsors at the moment.

IshtarNike Douglass was a brilliant American, no doubt. 150+ years is a long time...wonder what sort of speech he would give now?

[@carlosiumanzor9340]

IshtarNike what are you talking about? Democrats were the pro slavery party. Dude. SMH.

[@bobforapples8665]

Douglass advocated the idea that blacks were being used as soldier-types in the Confederate Army. While he stays so honored now left-wingers claim there were no black Confederates in the Confederacy's army or navy (despite men like Moses Dallas in the southern navy-- google Moses Dallas).

[@allisonschempf2230]

The Great Czar The Southern Strategy reversed that during the 20th century (the GOP gradually replaced "Dixiecrats"), but you are correct in stating that the Party of Lincoln was the Republican Party. Both parties have become corrupt and cynical in manipulating key voting blocs.

[@kuriaki71]

Two of my heroes.

[@ThePayola123]

mark lee One of his best roles was in Conan the Barbarian.

[@dianeowen5258]

Words important then and now.

[@Anonymous-yw1cv]

Words are not important.

[@nikolademitri731]

Anonymous What piffle. Words are immensely important. They are the means by which almost all actions begin, as language is a massive part of communication. From communication comes many deeds great and small, and many words throughout history have roused the hearts of men and women to do wonderfully beautiful, and incredibly destructive, things. Words are important. Actions speak louder than words, and are more important, but words are typically the spark from which those actions follow through. Cheers. 🍻✌🏼

[@Anonymous-yw1cv]

Words are bullshit, I prefer grunts. And ideas.

[@dellamcghee468]

And forever more!....

[@richardburnett-_]

@@Anonymous-yw1cv Your ideas are expressed in grunts.

[@krokodyl1927]

Written by Thomas Day in 1776 letter - "If there be an object truly ridiculous in nature, it is an American patriot, signing resolutions of independency with one hand, and with the other brandishing a whip over his affrighted slaves." Benjamin Banneker in a handwritten manuscript in an almanac for 1792 to Thomas Jefferson - "...sir, how pitiable is it to reflect, that although you were so fully convinced of the benevolence of the Father of Mankind and of His equal and impartial distribution of these rights and privileges, which He hath conferred upon them, that you should at the same time counteract His mercies, in detaining by fraud and violence so numerous a part of my brethren, under groaning captivity and cruel oppression, that you should at the same time be found guilty of that most criminal act, which you professedly detested in others, with respect to yourselves."

[@principeturandot4593]

Absolutely brilliant. 👍❤️🌟

[@tonygomez4966]

That was one of the most powerful speeches I've ever heard.

America does have an ugly history.

[@insight1025]

C J Titan So does the whole world.. Calm down.. America became so much more..

[@ParticleJesus]

I know, the period where they freed their slaves was particularly ugly.

[@djancak]

USA has an ugly present

[@sonofyah-qx8fm]

C J Titan : Try Wicked, You Devil !!!

[@Anonymous-yw1cv]

America's history is only getting uglier, look at liberal fascism. You pieces of shit are the new nazis.

[@charleskesner1302]

Thanks for this.

[@zzendawgie]

Proud to be a Rochesterian because of Douglass

[@1virgosmith]

WOW

[@vespermartini2556]

I was going to say the same, speechless now.

[@arnoldsanders6878]

Damn!!! What a brave MFer ! He could've been lynched for that speech !!!! Preach brutha PREACH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@abshir9677]

REST IN POWER Howard Zinn best historian of our time.

[@dellamcghee468]

Yes...absolute Power!

[@apollicino1705]

still relevant for our undocumented workers, tribal nations, trafficking victims, incarcerated brothers and sisters, detained families...still much work to be done in 2017.

[@mr_knowitall]

A major motion picture celebrating Douglass' life and impact is long overdue.

[@dellamcghee468]

Halleluyah!

[@jamaljohnson5235]

What an astonishing indictment

[@mickeythemaltipoo3756]

The war of independence was not about taxation without representation ,the war of independence was about not giving up their slaves. But you know" his story "will always be history.

[@marklongshanks6710]

How PROFOUND! I will tell my Guru about this!

[@MrGreenstar2012]

Good luck to you and yours. we are all debt slaves now.

[@jaemoon3593]

slaves were provided food, housing, and sometimes medical care. There was one problem. Slaves had horrible productivity. Forcing someone to do something they didn't want to do was not very profitable. Instead you 'free' the slaves. Have them work the choice of employment. Increase productivity while controlling their earnings. aka 'money', aka 'currency', aka 'Federal Reserve Notes'. Slavery wasn't ended because of some morality. Slavery was ended because it is more profitable to increase productivity while controlling your earnings. Today's slaves work at Wal-Mart and spend their hard earned currency at Wal-Mart. while Federal Reserve maintains that any money you saved is worth less in the future through their 'price stability' mandate. Federal Reserve does all it can to maintain 2% inflation. your $1 you earned today is worth half as much in just 20 years. making sure you stay poor while driving up the price of Wal-Mart stocks that the rich own. still think you are free?

[@svukicmusic3854]

Jae Moon Well said friend, I applaud your honesty.

[@mr_knowitall]

Correction: the slaves provided _themselves_ food and housing.

[@250Rem]

Send this to President Trump

[@svukicmusic3854]

Remington Howell What's the point? He doesn't even know how to read let alone listen.

[@mynameislove7605]

What to the Native American is 4th of July Amy??

[@phosgene2]

it's a pretty long speech, and if you read the whole thing, it's pretty difficult to feel the same way about the country, or believe that we have fully accounted for this time in our history. sadly, i think reading this speech in front of students in a history class could get you fired now, in many of the states under their current laws.....

[@dmck8615]

I wonder if Abraham Lincoln read or heard this speech......I'll have to research!

[@michaelzakovich2979]

All I want him to say is " I am your Father!"

[@raamyasharahla535]

Mike Z lol! I know right!

[@junli6065]

Sounds like Vader is trying to burn down the Republic. Anyone still here in 2024?

[@richardburnett-_]

Tiny fragment of Douglass' speech, maybe 5% . . . regrettable. It should've been noted as such. *Its worth reading.*

[@user-PoliceMisconduct]

Aha. Just as I thought. Kiddies, and they are in school.

[@tamikajackson3419]

🐑Our Heavenly Father said the forbbiden knowledge🍎🌳baskets of 🍎s is empty of rebellious angels he called false gods in his commandments and each 🍎came with a glitch upon them chewing and used alienated angels👾🍎and azzezel🍎s including that one eye devil🍎. The lambs vs 56 islamic states of azzezel , half dead jibrel, gabriel and that one eye devil

[@Dr.Cosmar]

This video should be marked "140 years ago"" not "4 years ago". Stuck in the past much? Democrats were the confederates, just sayin....

[@josephthompson1318]

UK led ending of slavery silly

[@robt400]

trump is great friends with douglass

[@ThePayola123]

Donald J Drumpf That would be McDonell Douglass.

[@gracefromspace5502]

Payhole Everdouche good one! 😂

[@betsyrocks]

*I find your lack of faith disturbing*

[@ThePayola123]

betsyrocks Good, I'm glad to hear it.

[@greggasiorowski4025]

I find your lack of reason far more disturbing.

[@dtacherra6063]

so was it better to an african? as opposed to an african american?..

[@TheVoidisEternal]

D Tacherra That is a dumb question. I will respond with another dumb question: would the world be better off if your mother used contraceptives? How about another, would I still have to ask a dumb question in response to someone else's dumb question? See? There's no point in asking such hypotheticals.

[@dtacherra6063]

StrangerToGreatness - Robert X. africans havent built any major enduring cities in over 3,000 years, Africa is terrible, the descendants are far better off. all humanity has had its run of slavery and malfeasance. cherry picking america on a holiday that represents freedom for ALL, slavery was an economic plight, im not going to apologise for slavery but i will never act as though it was righteous. again, all humanity has had its run with bloodshed. dont forget that over 600,000 white brothers gave their lives. i will give credit to the 360,000 white UNION brothers who fought to END slavery.

[@dtacherra6063]

KeepItReal more like keepitfake. thats not evidence sorry bud. the truth isnt easy to swallow unless u have no gag reflex

[@dellamcghee468]

Ask yourself that questions...since your kind is beating a path to africa.

[@carlosiumanzor9340]

Can you please stop hating America for one day?

[@t814]

The Great Czar Truth hurts? Every country has a dark past. Sticking your head in the sand doesn't make it go away.

[@carlosiumanzor9340]

TheMystery Gamer and continuously ripping the scab open until it turns gangrenous and kills the victim is so much better. Who said anything about denying history or running from it. I embrace it. We freed the slaves while many countries still have them even to this day. America is the greatest nation on earth.

[@brandonleblanc8335]

As any student of history understands, you must continuously tell the stories of the past, especially the horrific ones so they will not be repeated in the future.

[@RedButtonTV1]

that's not hate, it's an intervention. that is a try to help

[@sonofyah-qx8fm]

The Great Czar : AS if Hate isn't appropriate.....Hypocrisy in its Highest State UNITED STATES......I Give you Back your EVIL WICKEDLY INFESTED 4TH OF JULY !!!