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Douglass used powerful metaphors to convey his message. He described the American slave as "your humble property" and juxtaposed the luxuries of freedom enjoyed by the white population with the suffering endured by the enslaved. His words struck at the heart of the matter: that the celebration of freedom on the Fourth of July was a painful reminder of the lack of freedom for millions of enslaved African Americans.

One of the central themes of Douglass' speech was the hypocrisy of celebrating the Fourth of July while slavery persisted. He pointed out the inconsistency between the nation's professed values of liberty and justice and the brutal reality of slavery. Douglass argued that the celebration of the Fourth of July by African Americans was a “hollow and bitter” gesture, as they were excluded from the blessings of liberty and justice that the day symbolized.

Douglass argued that the nation's failure to address the fundamental injustice of slavery undermined the credibility of its claims to uphold the principles of freedom and equality. He also issued a call to action. He urged his audience to recognize that the struggle against slavery was a shared responsibility and a moral imperative.

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"What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" - Sophia Belliveau

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"What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" - Sophia Belliveau

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- Sophia Belliveau -

Frederick Douglass’ famous speech, "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" raised the critical irony of freedom in the United States of America. Frederick was chosen to speak on the Fourth of July, but instead of praising its liberty from England and the so-called “freedom” that white people were entitled to, he instead questioned why HE was chosen, calling it “mockery” and further critiques the idea of celebrating freedom in a land that functioned and profited off of, enslavement. He stated that although he was chosen to speak on this holiday and also “legally” freed from enslavement, he was not “included within the pale of this glorious anniversary” because he recognized that the institution of slavery persisted and that the idea of true freedom and equality for black Americans was so elusive. Throughout his speech, he confronted the hypocrisy of freedom granted to only a portion of the country’s people and denied to the other significant portion, and in this way, pointed to the idea of a deep divide between the races, the treatment, and the “freedoms”.

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Where I saw the exhibition interact with the title "I Am Seen...Therefore I Am" was through Fredrick Douglass' photo and the original copy of one of his speech encased in glass (I believe it was his Independence Day speech). These documents represent being seen, because so many black stories have been erased throughout history and replaced with caricatures.This is why I believes these pieces of history not only represent the title of being seen but it's also a testimony to our being, our sophistication, dedication and our overall humanity in a world that has historically tried to strip us of our very existence.

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The Wadsworth Museum's "Frederick Douglass" exhibit supported the "I Am Seen...Therefore I Am" idea by presenting Douglass's life as one continuous-neverending piece. This idea of "being seen" challenges the goals of Black hinderance. The exhibit performs the duty of making Douglass's story "seen" and therefore worthy of being highlighted and remembered. This exhibit, and Douglass's life in general, serve as a testament of why narratives from American slavery are always important to learn about.

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Black people during Douglass' time were rendered invisible and subhuman, facing stereotypes and disenfranchisement that attempted to oppress them. These stereotypes portrayed Black people as intellectually inferior and unworthy of basic rights and dignity. Black people, being denied access to education and freedom, were systematically silenced and expected to never achieve freedom, success, and prominent influence. Douglass transcends such stereotypes and bravely allowed himself to be seen as worthy of rights and dignity, and as intellectually adept as any White person through powerful oration in his speeches and writings.  In speeches like the one we viewed at the Atheneum, Douglass exemplifies his intellectual capacity. While doing this, he exemplifies his autonomy (I am) by affirming his identity and humanity in a society that sought to deny both. Through his eloquence and determination, Douglass allows himself to be seen for who he is, and not for who White people have alleged that he is. In essence, "I am seen…therefore I am" illustrates Douglass's journey from invisibility to empowerment.

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A moment from the Wadsworth exhibit that I believe represented or engaged with the title was the life timeline outside of the film room. More specifically there was a fact that he was elected governor or a higher power, something unheard of for any African American during that time. At that moment, he had support from both White and Black race, being seen from both sides of the world he lived in. He was able to freely speak, giving more light to his story and other lives of slaves. This I believed was impactful because it was after his first book was highly rejected and so was his visit to have a meeting with all Blacks that was forced outside.

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A moment from the Wadsworth Museum that represented the title, "I Am Seen... Therefore I am", was the display of the Frederick Douglass film from different camera angles. The use of different camera angles throughout the film makes it impossible for the audience not to physically see Douglass. This, in turn, is representative of how the exhibits aims for the audience to see Douglass metaphorically. The dialogue throughout the film centers around Douglass's powerful speech. In the speech, he asks the audience in the film to see him and respect him. Because of the use of camera angles and the exhibits large screens, it feels as though we are transported into the film. Douglass is speaking to his audience within the film but he is also speaking to us.

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This exhibit was able to represent its title through its ability to share Douglass's story through the use of images and footage with little dialogue. The film had very few instances of the actors talking; the only time the dialogue is centered in a scene is when Douglass gives his speech. Otherwise, the movie focused on the images being displayed, emphasizing them with the use of representative sounds.
In relation to Douglass, this focus on visual storytelling represents the need to show the truth for it to be believed when Douglass first began to speak about his life.

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An aspect that caught my attention was while Douglas was giving his speech was how his words and mannerisms really touched and influenced the crowd. They witnessed the amount of determination that Douglas was showing when giving his speech which made the audience give him a round of applause. He is showing the audience what he's really made of and expressing how proud he is of that by the way he delivers his speech. I feel that the audience felt touched by his words and felt like they were in the speech he was preaching showing that he's really being seen in this moment.

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A moment from the Wadsworth exhibit that exemplified "I am seen...therefore I am" was the use of photography. Early in the film, the audience is shown Frederick Douglass and his wife, Anna Douglass, posing while having their individual portraits taken, resembling people of power. During this time in history, photography was a new concept that cost a lot of money and time, however, it was a way to capture a specific moment in time that will forever be remembered and documented. The purpose of a photograph is for the subject to be written into history, recording their existence on this planet. By photographing the Douglass's, their presence in this world and place in history is indisputable. They are seen through their photographs, therefore they are.

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One aspect of this exhibit that stood out to me was when Douglas concluded his speech. He received a round of applause from the crowd, fellow scholars and philosophers. His speech demanded respect and intelligence. I feel as if he asserted his existence, being "seen." Therefore he is, in the sense that he has built an image for himself and this speech is one of many examples proving that fact.