Independence Day and What it means to be independent.

Independence Day

and What it means to be independent

Independence Day, commonly referred to as the Fourth of July or July 4th in the United States is an annual celebration of independence and nationhood. It is a celebration to commemorate the passage of the declaration of independence by the continental congress on July 4, 1776.

INDEPENDENCE DAY IS ONE OF THE MOST UNIVERSALLY RECOGNIZED AMERICAN HOLIDAYS.

Until 1776, the 13 American colonies which today are represented by the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Virginia were all under the British Empire. These colonies were governed by a series of charters under the authority of the then England King, George III. the American colonies and Great Britain were separated by the vast Atlantic Ocean which was a six-week journey. Because of this distance and a partial state of self-governance, the 1760s saw the rise of colonists who greatly resented British rule. Part of this resentment was borne out of the Crown’s taxation of the colonies and the refusal to allow a voice in the governance of the region. Consequently, this led to tensions in the region causing hostility and at times very violent confrontations, for instance, the Boston Massacre of 1770, the Boston Tea party of 1773, the Intolerable Acts of 1774 among many others. On July 2, 1776, the Second Continental Congress secretly voted for the colonies to declare independence from Great Britain. On July 4, 1776, the official statement was out, declaring the independence of the American colonies. The followed a publication of the document and delegates from all the 13 colonies began signing it a month later. Fully knowing that this was an act of treason against Great Britain, the delegate’s signatories included the words at the end of the statement that read; “we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.” Thomas Jefferson was the one who drafted the Declaration and would later become the third president of the United States. Both John Adams (second President of the United States of America) and Thomas Jefferson died on July 4, 1826, exactly 50 years after the declaration of independence was published. The declaration of Independence stated that the colonies considered themselves a sovereign collection of states and that each state was fully independent and free from any allegiance to Great Britain. However, true freedom would not materialize immediately, it took 7 more years. The American Revolutionary War was still underway for a year and it would not end until the Treaty of Paris, which was signed in 1783. This treaty officially recognized the United States of America as an independent nation.

SWEEPING THE DIRT UNDER THE MATT!

We often talk about independence Day with great pride and we should but for far too long, we have failed to recognize that even though we boast of unity, history proves that right from the start, we were not unified. It is important that we acknowledge that before the country was the glorious country it is today, it did not originate or expand its territories on unoccupied lands. Long before the European settlers came, there were about 2 and 18 million people already living in the current continental United States. We rarely talk about the harsh brutality of the nation’s treatment of the indigenous people

(commonly referred to as Native Americans) and unfortunately, history rarely mentions the exploitation and violence dating back to the earliest colonial settlement. In addition to that, as we celebrate the Fourth of July, let us not forget how we treated the African Americans who were enslaved and who, despite being slaves and suffering bigotry and discrimination in all things- contributed in innumerable ways to the success of this country.

Let us also acknowledge that America is a nation that has been build by immigrants right from the beginning. This way, we can treat other immigrants with the respect they deserve. In fact, unless you are a Native American or a descendant of Slaves, you and your ancestors are immigrants. Our nation’s nearly 250-year history with immigration ranges from subtle treatment to hostility under the mantle of our Statue of Liberty at Ellis Island. Let us not be ignorant about these facts, sweeping this dirt under the matt, pretending to be great. Eventually, the dirt will start to smell! For us to take pride and celebrate honestly the Fourth of July we have to honestly acknowledge the less-prideful parts of our history. One of the most revered parts of the Declaration of Independence is the aspiration that “all men are created equal that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” yet, this “equality” goal is a work in progress. We need to recognize that our history contains some bitter truths of our society and laws that are far less than being equal to all citizens.

WHAT TO THE SLAVES IS THE FOURTH OF JULY?

As an African American, I feel the need to address this issue. And a good starting point would be Frederick Douglass’s 1852 speech in which he asks an important question, that I feel to date remains unanswered. I share the same sentiments with Douglass that “I (we) must mourn!”

In his speech, Douglass acknowledges the Founding Fathers of America, the architects of the Declaration of Independence for their commitment to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” he says,

“Fellow Citizens, I am not wanting in respect for the fathers of this republic. The signers of the Declaration of Independence were brave men. They were great men, too, great enough to give frame to a great age. It does not often happen to a nation to raise, at one time, such a number of truly great men. The point from which I am compelled to view them is not, certainly, the most favorable; and yet I cannot contemplate their great deeds with less than admiration. They were statesmen, patriots, and heroes, and for the good they did, and the principles they contended for, I will unite with you to honor their memory….

While he acknowledged the founding fathers, he also brings to light the hypocrisy of the independence movement and the founding fathers’ ideals in light of slavery on American soil. He continues to interrogate the meaning of the Declaration of independence to the enslaved people experiencing injustices;

“…Fellow-citizens, pardon me, allow me to ask, why am I called upon to speak here today? What have I, or those I represent, to do with your national independence? Are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us? and am I, therefore, called upon to bring our humble offering to the national altar, and to confess the benefits and express devout gratitude for the blessings resulting from your independence to us?”

Just like Frederick, I ask the same question, is the Fourth of July really relevant to us? We still have discrimination happening, police brutality and when we try to fight for justice, we are called terrorists! when we learn to discuss our joint national history, bringing everyone on board, and addressing the missteps as a society, this way, the Fourth of July will make sense. It should be a healing moment for the nation as a means to build our collective will to further improve our nation and to make it as equitable as possible.

Sources

https://www.hfcc.edu/news/2019/what-independence-day-means https://www.britannica.com/topic/Independence-Day-United-States-holiday https://nmaahc.si.edu/blog-post/nations-story-what-slave-fourth-july