In 1852, abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass delivered one of his most famous speeches, “What to the slave is your Fourth of July,” a blistering indictment of an American idealism that ignored and accepted the inhuman treatment of enslaved African Americans. In collaboration with the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire, a community reading of this historic protest speech will take place at noon on Saturday, July 1 at the Colonel Paul Wentworth House in Rollinsford, NH.

The public is encouraged to mark the start of the Fourth of July weekend in a meaningful way by participating in this event, which takes roughly one hour and is one of several community readings taking place across the Granite State on the same day.

To volunteer to read a section of the speech, or to request additional information, send an email to paulwentworthhouse@gmail.com.

The circa 1701 Wentworth House is located on Water Street in Rollinsford and is maintained by the nonprofit Association for Rollinsford Culture and History (ARCH).