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Boston Globe

What, to Black people, is the Fourth of July?

Our flag has been used and abused by insurrectionists and the far right to equate greatness to hate and autocracy. Our flag is never free of 1976 when Is this the land of the free? To evoke Frederick Douglass, what to the American slave, is the Fourth of July? Advertisement What to the Indigenous, to the immigrant and migrant, to the queer and trans, to the women and poor, or the descendants of those once enslaved in America is Independence Day? This nation has continually claimed freedom while practicing oppression. 'The Star-Spangled Banner' is never without blood. What did slave owner and advocate of slavery Advertisement No refuge could save the hireling and slave From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave, And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave. And yet, my spirit climbs outside my body and up my arms at the mere memory of Whitney Houston singing 'The Star-Spangled Banner' decked out in her white tracksuit with red and blue accents at the 1991 Super Bowl. Her rendition is both negro spiritual and national anthem. It beckons the promises made that have yet to be fulfilled. It stirs a proud and courageous claim of citizenship that reminds us of our privilege and duty to make American liberty true. Landsmark, in spite of it all, did not let that flag disrupt his American pride. The flag, Beyoncé is taking an American stand on stages and places Black women haven't always been welcome to sing and be free. The show gleams with red, white, and blue. The flag flashes on screens. She wears it as gowns and custom tees alike. She belts out with a very American pride and call to action: Advertisement Can we stand for somethin'? Now is the time to face the wind (now is the time to face the wind) Now ain't the time to pretend Now is the time to let love in (to let love in) Together, can we stand? The Fourth of July, like the flag, and this country is yours and mine even if its originators never wanted us to have it. The Read What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July? Frederick Douglass. Engraving by J.C. Buttre Now is the exact time to revisit the 1852 speech by Frederick Douglass, 'What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July.' 'For it is not light that is needed, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake. The feeling of the nation must be quickened; the conscience of the nation must be roused; the propriety of the nation must be startled; the hypocrisy of the nation must be exposed; and its crimes against God and man must be proclaimed and denounced.' The Watch For me, this behind-the-scenes video is not so much about The Met and Vogue as it is about the beautiful Black people, dressed in the clothes that make them feel good, and feeling good together freely that makes me want to watch it on repeat. Black parade BOSTON, MA - 02/20/2019 Farrah Belizaire, left, laughs with Devon Austrie at the Toast to Black Excellence hosted by LiteWork Events. Erin Clark Joy pushas FILE - Singer Cassie Ventura (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau, File) Lionel Cironneau/Associated Press This week, we celebrate Cassie. We saw the footage. Diddy beat her and beat her some more. It is indisputable that the relationship was violent. His defense lawyers conceded to abuse – and despite that admission, the defense called the relationship 'a great, modern love story.' Advertisement No. It was a nightmare. The jury decided what they decided. Here in this space, we hold space for Cassie, who held space not just for herself, but for other survivors. We thank her for her courage. We lift her in her healing. Domestic violence is deadly. And this case has proven how we talk about violence, especially violence against women, is in itself violent. In America, boys and men are not taught to like girls and women. They are trained to attain them. So often, when we are on the receiving end of a man's rage, the suspicion is on us instead of the abuser. Even with a video of her abuse and witnesses who had also been abused or seen the abuse, domestic violence failed to become the issue it should have been. There are places in our mind where past abuse is always present. May Cassie persevere and continue to walk in love and cultivate her joy. If you or someone you know needs support, visit Fresh finds Be Rooted bundle for those of us who bossed to hard. Handout We knew Be Rooted for its journals and planners centering Black girls and women. We are tardy to the party in knowing about the full selection of cutesy gifts from beach towels and puzzles to candles and glassware. We know what we're getting our next birthday girl. What makes your life a beautiful resistance? Advertisement Jeneé Osterheldt can be reached at