Reading Public Library to Host Community Reading of Frederick Douglass’s Historic Fourth of July Address
July 1 event will feature a public reading and discussion of “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” as part of the statewide Reading Frederick Douglass Together program supported by Mass Humanities
Reading Public Library (RPL), Reading, MA — Community members in Reading will gather on Wednesday, July 1, at 6:30 p.m. for a public reading and facilitated discussion of Frederick Douglass’s landmark 1852 speech, “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?”
The event is supported by The Friends of Reading Public Library and Mass Humanities through its Reading Frederick Douglass Together (RFDT) grant program. This year, the grant will fund 76 readings across the Commonwealth. If you are interested in participating in the reading, please contact Jocelyn Gould at jgould@noblenet.org for more information.
First delivered in 1852 at Corinthian Hall in Rochester, New York, Douglass’s speech remains one of the most powerful reflections on American democracy, freedom, and racial justice.
“As the nation approaches its 250th anniversary, Mass Humanities encourages people of every age, background, and experience in cities and towns across Massachusetts to gather, to commemorate, question, and recommit to the promises made in 1776,” said Brian Boyles, Executive Director of Mass Humanities.
Since the first Reading Frederick Douglass Together event was held on the Boston Common in 2009, the program has grown into a statewide civic tradition. In 2025 alone, with $130,000 in grant support from Mass Humanities, more than 8,000 children and adults attended 71 public readings in 48 municipalities in every corner of the state.
“These readings give everyone in our community—residents, students, organizations—a chance to sit with Douglass’s words and reflect on why they still matter, more than 170 years later,” said Reading Public Library Director Amy Lannon. “That’s what libraries are here for, and we’re proud to bring this experience to Reading.”
RFDT events have been staged by a diverse group of organizations across the Commonwealth, from museums and historical societies to social justice organizations, social service providers, elementary and high schools, colleges, universities, and houses of worship. RFDT is made possible with the support of the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
The event is free and open to the public.
About Reading Frederick Douglass Together
For more information about the Reading Frederick Douglass Together program, contact Wes DeShano, Communications Manager, at wdeshano@masshumanities.org or by phone at 413-203-6241, ext. 102.
About Mass Humanities
Mass Humanities is the state’s affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Through grants, programs, and community initiatives like Reading Frederick Douglass Together, Mass Humanities supports public programs that spark conversation, deepen understanding, and strengthen civic life across Massachusetts.