Frederick Douglass’ 1852 Speech on Enslavement

 Frederick Douglass gave speeches in several places in Peterboro NY, but his speech in Rochester NY at Corinthian Hall on July 5th, 1852 is, perhaps, his most famous. The Rochester Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society asked Douglass to present a speech on the Fourth of July to commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence seventy years earlier. Douglass refused to speak on July 4th, but agreed to do so the next day, stating “This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice. I must mourn.” He asked, and then explained, What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?

Owen D. Corpin, a native and current resident of Peterboro NY, whose family heritage traces directly to former enslaved ancestors freed by the local abolitionist Gerrit Smith, will deliver parts of Douglass’ Fifth of July speech on Saturday, July 5 at 2 pm at the Peterboro United Methodist Church, 5240 Pleasant Valley Road, Peterboro NY 13134. Corpin’s baritone voice likens to what is understood to be similar Douglass’ voice. Owen Corpin, an honor graduate of Morrisville-Eaton High School and an honor graduate and Trident Scholar from the United States Naval Academy.  He spent twenty years as a Naval Aviator flying fighter aircraft making over five hundred carrier landings during six deployments in defense of the United States.  Performing in many assignments, including as an NROTC instructor at an HBC, he also earned a Masters degree from Central Michigan University. After retiring from the Navy at the rank of Commander, he returned to the local area and worked as a substitute high school teacher. Owen then joined Morrisville State College as an EOP advisor for seventeen years. Owen served on the Madison County Head Start board and the local library board before joining the National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum (NAHOF) Cabinet of Freedom in 2012.  Owen serves on the NAHOF Education/Programs committee and coordinates the yearly NAHOF Watchnight/Watchfire observance on the last day of each year.

Norman K. Dann PhD, biographer of Gerrit Smith, and a transcriber of letters between Frederick Douglass and Gerrit Smith for the editor of the Frederick Douglass Papers, will briefly describe the unusual friendship of Douglass and Smith that Dann has studied in the scores of letters written between the two abolitionists, and has a publication being processed on that friendship. The Douglass-Smith relationship was unlikely for the 19th Century: A formally uneducated, powerless base, assertive, younger black man and a formally well educated, wealthy, influential, white elder. The two men bonded for the cause of the abolition of slavery, and that bond lasted throughout their lives. The influence of Smith’s educated logic and defense of the Constitution changed Douglass’ antislavery tactics from moral suasion to political activity. Smith’s philanthropy was a major support of Douglass’ newspapers and speaking activities. Douglass dedicated his second autobiography to Smith. 

Dann, professor emeritus Morrisville State College, has published biographies on each of the Gerrit and Ann Smith family of Peterboro, plus two others on the Antislavery Movement. He is the head docent at the Gerrit Smith Estate National Historic Landmark, a founder of the National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum, and treasurer of the Peterboro Area Museum

Author John J. Hanrahan from Charlotteville VA attended the Annual Peterboro Emancipation Day in 2023 to introduce his first book, Traveling Freedom’s Road: A Guide to Exploring Our Civil Rights History. According to the Hampton History Museum, this first book in an intended series was recognized as the best travel book and best African American Culture/History book in independent publishing competitions.

On July 5th this year in Peterboro, Hanrahan will describe his latest publication Traveling Freedom’s Road: Frederick Douglass in Maryland. The book centers on Douglass's time in Maryland, including his birthplace on the Eastern Shore and his escape from Baltimore. It provides detailed itineraries for self-directed tours of both the Eastern Shore and Baltimore, allowing travelers to explore key locations associated with Douglass.  The book highlights Douglass's connections to over four dozen locations, offering insights into his life and experiences at each stop. Each location includes excerpts from Douglass's autobiographies, speeches, or journalism, further connecting the reader to Douglass's perspective. It aims to help readers understand Douglass's heroic figure by exploring his early life, his thoughts of escaping bondage, and his eventual escape from slavery.