04/12/2026
June 27th, 2026
Reading Frederick Douglass Together
at Stow Acres Golf Course
What to the Slave is the 4th of July?
Storytelling and Public Reading
at Stow Acres on Saturday June 27th, 2026
10:30 am- Storytelling
Stories Celebrating Freedom Further Extended and Confederate Defeat on the 4th of July! During and after the Civil War, the 4th of July became a distinctly Black holiday. Hear tales of how a Black Patriot of the Revolutionary War and an abolitionist from New York worked to extend the promises of the Declaration of Independence.
11:30 am- Public Reading and Discussion
Whether you’ve participated before or will join us for the first time, you will learn something new by reading and listening to Douglass in 2026. Written in response to the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, this 1852 speech inspired and challenged Douglass’s audience.
Storyteller and Discussion Leader
Sean Osborne is a public historian and storyteller who enjoys sharing his research through stories, documentaries, animated shorts and exhibitions. He has performed in schools, museums, and the workplace.
This event was made possible thanks to a Reading Frederick Douglass Together Grant from Mass Humanities and the Mass Cultural Council. Reading Frederick Douglass Together grants for public readings and discussions in Massachusetts of the orator’s famous address, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” Hosted by Rediscover Mapledale, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with the long-lasting vision to continue to commemorate Black history in Stow, Massachusetts.
