Local

An American Question on the 4th of July

charles c. haynes Commentary
Inside the First Amendment

Proud member of LION Publishers

By Charles C. Haynes
First Amendment Center senior scholar

One of the most famous and compelling Fourth of July speeches in American history was no flag-waving paean to the glories of Old Glory — it was instead a searing judgment on the nation’s failure to fulfill the promise of liberty and equality proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence.

“What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July?” asked Frederick…

Most read stories this week

Take a Survey

ARCHIVES