Historical Dream And Our Take On The Historical Reference To The 4th Of July
Historical Dream recognizes that in the next couple of weeks Americans will celebrate the 4th of July. In doing a little history to appreciate the historic relevance of this upcoming occasion we've learned what Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison, Sojourner Truth, Martin Luther King, and others' perspectives have been on this holiday. The broader position of who should be acknowledged in what the Constitution and Declaration of Independence meant by the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness has been contentious since the beginning when a modicum of the nation's elite penned it. This often recited line was merely meant for white men of the era. As a challenge to who should have full rights to liberty and the pursuit of happiness, Frederick Douglass relayed his sentiments in a speech to the Ladies' Anti-Slavery Society in Rochester, NY. He exclaimed “The main benefit of the revolution to colonists was that it gave more political power to America's white male minority, while delaying freedom for slaves and doing nothing to help women and Native Americans"[https://linktr.ee/historicaldream].
William Lloyd Garrison, Sojourner Truth, and Henry David Thoreau who were abolitionists of the 19th century, addressed a sympathetic crowd outside of Boston, Massachusetts on July 4, 1854 and condemned the 4th of July celebration as a day to recognize the nation's greatest sin and to mourn the death of freedom.
Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. in his 1963, “I Have a Dream” speech delivered in the National Mall in Washington, D.C. his celebrated prose: “When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” The 19th century era was much like the previous century, minus overt slavery, in its lack of celebrated diverse citizens (African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic and Latin Americans, Asian Americans and others).
In the 19th century there were sung and unsung heroes who fought for justice and the pursuit of happiness. We've known a few unsung to be Elizabeth Keckley, Wong Chin Foo, Chief Sitting Bull; as well as the well sung, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Clara Barton and others who were putting their DNA all over pressing change and celebrated equality for all. As we're in the 21st century, the movement towards all men and women of diverse backgrounds enjoying equality promised to all U.S. citizen still has fire. We're not completely there, but we're motivated and feel positive that the nation will get to full equality for all... Remembering our nations icons - sung and unsung- is where Historical Dream fits in best.
Look around when buying furniture, buying fun casual clothing, jewelry, and/or sculptures and ask yourself if you're seeing the degree of diverse historic icons that commemorate our nation's diverse trailblazers that you'd like. Is the presence, outside of libraries, museums, educational institutions, good enough? Maybe it is and maybe it's not. Historical Dream is charged with increasing this presence.
Nina
Historical Dream
historicaldream@outlook.com
267-551-1969
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