We celebrate July 4th because it was the day that the Continental Congress finally approved all the changes and edits to the July 2nd draft Declaration of Independence. Officially, the Continental Congress declared its freedom from Great Britain on July 2, 1776, when it voted to approve a resolution of independence submitted by delegate Richard Henry Lee of Virginia (constitutioncenter.org).
On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee read a resolution before the Continental Congress stating that these “United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States …. “. A Committee of Five was appointed to draft the Declaration of Independence. Specifically, Thomas Jefferson drafted it and Adams and Franklin made changes to it (wikipedia.org).
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In the topic of race and progress,
people need to read and learn of the works of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke and what the idealization of a country/nation was for them: This is where the founding fathers took a lot from in creation of the constitution/bill of rights after the mess the articles of confederation left and exposed (Daniel Shay).
If we go back in the era of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois, we can easily spot similarities as well. One sought the approval/affirmation of Whites (if we think approval of the establishment/aristocracy) while the other wanted a systematic/dismantling approach in the sense of Education through acts of aggression and protests: These scholars caused divisiveness among Black and African Americans in the U.S. To this day, Black Americans deny their African Ancestry as well because we will never understand what it truly means/is to be a black person living in the U.S. . One could only imagine what people go through (the colored lens) and that’s about it (understatement).
It doesn’t help when progress is hindered and further divisiveness is caused by those at “the top of the racial/social class” by publishing works like Madison Grant’s The Passing of the Great Race, which undoubtedly fueled The Johnson Reed Act of 1924 and Racial Integrity Law of 1925 (one drop rule). Hitler even used this work as his bible, thus leading to the Holocaust. I could only imagine that Grant published his “masterpiece” because if people below a social and economic standing united and worked together for once, that the futility of Aristocracy and the Establishment would be exposed. I guess we’ve made some progress since?! I don’t know anymore.
We can’t keep taking 5 steps forward, and 1000 steps back! What are you so afraid of, America?
For now, 4th of July is just another barbecue and social gossiping event with added respect to those who served and protected the land.
Now that this day has arrived, and as for the topic of “Celebrating 4th of July”, I will leave this passage from “The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America”:
“He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.”
It’s good to know that my ancestors and myself are “merciless savages”! Let me go put on my red, white, and blue uniform and buy those fancy sparklers and set up the grill! Go U.S.A!! /s.