The Royall House and Slave Quarters invites community members to gather on the lawn in front of the historic Slave Quarters building to read and/or listen to Douglass’s “What, To The Slave, is the Fourth of July?” to honor the long history of Black activism, critique, and abolition.

This in-person program is free and open to all. Register via Eventbrite to receive program updates: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/665185827717

We will begin the program with a brief libation ceremony to honor the people who were enslaved on the plantation. Scholar/activist David Harris and members of the Mystic Valley Area NAACP will launch the reading, then invite interested community members to read sections of the speech. A poetry reading by Terry E. Carter, Medford’s Poet Laureate Emeritus, will close out the program.

After the event, we invite community members to an informal open house inside the Royall House and the Slave Quarters. Light refreshments will be provided.

Each year, Mass Humanities organizes and funds free public events where communities gather together to read and talk about Frederick Douglass’ influential address. Here’s the list of this year’s dates and locations across the Commonwealth: https://masshumanities.org/2023-reading-frederick…

The Royall House and Slave Quarters is located at 15 George Street in Medford, Massachusetts, just outside of Medford Square. Visit royallhouse.org/directions for T and bus info. Free on-street parking is available on George Street and other nearby streets; please obey signs regarding resident permit restrictions.

The Royall House and Slave Quarters received a grant for this program from Mass Humanities, with funding made possible by the Mass Cultural Council.