John,
In Frederick Douglass' "What To The Slave Is Fourth of July" speech in 1852, he criticized the independence of America stating: "I am not included within the pale of glorious anniversary!"
This Fourth of July, while many of us are reluctant to celebrate American Independence, we can celebrate in our own way -- by rooting for everybody Black!
This Independence Day, let's celebrate one another. Our constant resilience is a reminder of just how much we deserve to celebrate our collective joy. And that is exactly what we're going to do.
Here are some ways we can celebrate our Blackness together this Independence Day.
- Spend your money at a Black-owned business. This website breaks down Black-owned businesses by your state/location.
- Are you ready to eat? The EatOkra App is the perfect guide to local Black-owned restaurants in your area, and is available for free download!
- Been wanting to get some reading done this Summer? The Huffington Post: Black Voices has compiled a list of books and novels written by Black authors. If you want to get some reading done this Summer, take a look over this list.
- Speaking of reading, here's a list of 10 online Black-owned bookstores to order your next read from!
This weekend and beyond, we will continue to root for everybody Black. Remember to grab your mask and some hand sanitizer before going out to your favorite Black-owned spot!
In love and solidarity,
Black Lives Matter Global Network
