On July 5, 1852, Frederick Douglass stood before an abolitionist group and gave one of his most famous speeches: "What To The Slave Is The Fourth of July?" That speech confronted the hypocrisy of an Independence Day in a country that still endorsed the bondage and forced labor of more than 1 in 8 of its residents. In July 2020, @npr asked five Douglass descendants to read and respond to excerpts of that speech. They reflected on America's ongoing pursuit of liberty and justice for all. This proj

On patriotism, in Frederick Douglass' words and Jonathan Majors' voice. Frederick Douglass: In Five Speeches is streaming on HBO Max. | HBO