Frederick Douglass, daguerreotype by Samuel J. Miller, c. 1852
Frederick Douglass
July 5, 1852
Rochester, New York
Frederick Douglass was invited to speak on July 4th.
He chose July 5th.
NOT MINE
FIRE
Declaration of Independence, Stone Engraving, 1823 — National Archives
"In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776"
The Land of the Free / The Home of the Oppressed, 1850s
"THE LAND OF THE FREE — THE HOME OF THE OPPRESSED"
ORATION. Delivered in Corinthian Hall, Rochester, July 5th, 1852
"ORATION. Delivered in Corinthian Hall, Rochester."
Frederick Douglass' Paper, July 9, 1852 — the speech printed four days later
Frederick Douglass' Paper — July 9, 1852 — four days later
0
years since the speech
July 5, 1852 — July 4, 2026
0
years since the Declaration
he called a sham
Semiquincentennial · July 4, 2026
160+
known photographs — the most
photographed American of the 19th century
Stauffer, Trodd & Bernier (2015)
Frederick Douglass, c. 1847
Frederick Douglass, c. 1852 (Miller daguerreotype)
Frederick Douglass, c. 1855
c. 1847
44
archival images in the experience
Library of Congress, Met, NYPL, Smithsonian, NARA, AIC
6
institutional sources
1
founder, 0 funding
July 5, 1852 — July 4, 2026
174 years.
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Built from 44 archival images from the Library of Congress, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Public Library, Smithsonian Institution, National Archives, and Art Institute of Chicago.