Frederick Douglass articulated some of this struggle in his famed 1852 speech, “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July”: “The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not by me. The sunlight that brought light and healing to you, has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn." Still for many African Americans, the Fourth of July, along with Juneteenth, remains a moment to salute Black liberation and an independent spirit that has persevered over the centuries.
The abolitionists and activists featured here fought diligently to ensure that the new nation’s proclamations of freedom would not exclude Black people. Their essays, speeches, political organizing, fugitive flights, and rebellions in the face of what Frederick Douglass labeled “the gross injustice and cruelty” of enslavement secure their place as founding fathers and mothers of freedom. Drawing on the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture’s vast holdings, we honor their bold strategies to secure Black liberation and true equality for all on this Independence Day.
From the Schomburg Center's Collections: Freedom's Founders
About the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
Founded in 1925 and named a National Historic Landmark in 2017, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is one of the world’s leading cultural institutions devoted to the research, preservation, and exhibition of materials focused on African American, African Diaspora, and African experiences.
The Schomburg Center's Black Liberation Reading List
For 95 years, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture has preserved, protected, and fostered a greater understanding of the Black experience through its collections, exhibitions, programs, and scholarship. In response to the uprisings across the globe demanding justice for Black lives, the Schomburg Center has created a Black Liberation Reading List.
Explore the list:
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Abolitionist Teaching and the Future of Our Schools
Watch NowA conversation with Bettina Love, Gholdy Muhammad, Dena Simmons and Brian Jones about abolitionist teaching and antiracist education.
This event was co-sponsored by Haymarket Books and the Schomburg Center.
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Watch: Juneteenth, Creating a Legacy in Contested Spaces
Watch NowChef and historian Therese Nelson, Dr. Andrea Roberts, founder of Texas Freedom Colonies Project, and chef and TV personality Carla Hall, author of Carla’s Comfort Food: Favorite Dishes from Around the World, examine the artful negotiations of formerly enslaved African Americans and celebrate the persistent pursuit of freedom. Plus, Rootstock Republic premieres a new arrangement of "Strange Fruit," the classic song, made famous by Billie Holiday, which called attention to the lynching of Black people in America.
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Racial Equity Resources for Educators
Learn MoreNavigate difficult conversations, challenge bias, and create an inclusive space for your students to process current events.
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Researching Black Heritage with NYPL's E-Resources
Learn MoreThe New York Public Library has created this list of online resources to help you explore all aspects of Black heritage—from genealogy to LGBT history to current popular culture.
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Support the Preservation and Celebration of Black History and Culture
Become a Member TodaySchomburg Society members are vital supporters of our mission to collect, preserve, and celebrate the global Black experience. Members receive exclusive benefits—invitations to members-only events, discounts at the Schomburg Shop, and more.
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The Schomburg Shop
Learn MoreVisit the Schomburg Shop to purchase selected titles from the Schomburg Center's Black Liberation Reading List.
