SWAMPSCOTT — For the second year, Swampscott and Nahant were awarded a Mass Humanities grant with funding made possible by Mass Cultural Council to present a community reading and discussion of Frederick Douglass’s 1852 speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”

The Swampscott Historical Commission, Nahant Historical Society, and Swampscott Recreation Department coordinated by S.U.R.E. Diversity will present the free event on July 2, from 4–7 p.m., on Town Hall Lawn in Swampscott.

“We welcome this opportunity to bring our communities together to read and reflect on the wisdom and prescient writing of Frederick Douglass,” S.U.R.E. Chair Keli Khatib stated. “He was a statesman, orator, trusted advisor to President Lincoln, abolitionist, and our neighbor from Lynn!”

The 2025 Reading Frederick Douglass Together event featured State Representative Jenny Armini providing the historical background and contextualization, author Tom Dalton (Frederick Douglass: The Lynn Years), a community reading by more than 60 citizens, and a discussion lead by Swampscott Poet, Enzo Surin. In the celebration of the fourth tradition, there will be free ice cream and popcorn, food trucks, and families are encouraged to bring blankets for picnic activities and family fun. The event will feature face painting, a Black book exchange, activities like “What does the fourth mean to you?”, “Tell us your story,” and reflecting on our Democracy, then and now and the future.

The event has also drawn support from state leaders, like Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, who emphasized the continued importance of Douglass’s words in the context of American history.

“As we commemorate 250 years of America’s independence, Frederick Douglass’s words in “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” remind us that our nations story cannot be told without a deep understanding of Black history,” Campbell said. “Participating in this reading is an opportunity to honor the generations of Black Americans whose courage and resilience helped moved our country closer to its promise of justice and equality for all.” 

Scan the QR code on the flyer for information regarding registration to read at the event.