The meaning of July fourth

Our hopes for the holiday, and Frederick Douglass’ call to action from 1852

We’d like to wish you all a happy Fourth, though with that we acknowledge the troubled times we live in, and understand that proceeding directly to the barbecue and fireworks might feel a little fraught this year given how daunting the patriotic struggle seems, acutely so after the past couple of weeks.

We think you might find it helpful to look back wit…