Fourth of July

“The Fourth of July” was my favorite essay out of the three. I felt I was able to relate to it better not only because I am an African American, but I also liked the way the author, Audre Lorde, related her topic in her writing. Her themes stood out clearly and expressed valuable points that are were not only very relevant back then, but still have significance in today’s society. She associated many things to color in her essay, which I found to be very interesting. Even with her title, “Fourth of July“, she introduces the theme of color and independence.
In America, the Fourth of July represents freedom. It was the day the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. The political philosophy enunciated in this document had a “continuing influence on political development for many years.” It declared our nations sovereignty and released us from British rule. We as a nation became free and independent. It also brings to mind the thought of celebrating with fireworks. It is a well established American tradition. People all over the nation fill the sky with many different colors to celebrate the country’s independence and freedom. In addition to this, fireworks were used to commemorate events before the Fourth of July was established as a national holiday. Fireworks were used to celebrate the inauguration of President George Washington in 1789. This alone demonstrates how long we Americans have expressed, through the use of color, our appreciation for our independence and equality. The title by itself appealed to me because it represents, in a very veiled way, two very important themes in her essay. The significance of color in the world we live in, and our strive for true liberty. We chose all the colors of the rainbow to celebrate our success as a nation, yet limit that success to the certain colors of people who live in the same nation.
Her childhood experience represents just this. It is simply because of her family’s color that she is not able experience something as normal as sitting down for ice cream. I believe that she is trying to bring to the readers attention the specific issues of color in a country that claims to be so free. True American freedom is for all, not just some. Yet she was denied this freedom. Even in today’s society, it seems to be a stress on color when in should not be. I feel that if we are able to celebrate with colorful fireworks, why are we not able to embrace the different colors of people in our country. Like the author, I am disgusted with the problems associated with color. Even in two thousand and seven, racial tensions still exist-- especially in the South. Events such as the Jena 6 in Louisiana prove this. Six African American teenagers were accused of beating a white teenager and charged with attempted murder. This is a ridiculous and extremely exaggerated charge for a school fight. Furthermore, in New Orleans “ The FBI is reviewing a white supremacist website that purports to list the addresses of five of the six black teenagers accused of beating a white student in Jena and “essentially called for lynching”.” It seems as if history is trying to repeat itself. It just so happens that the fiftieth anniversary of the Little Rock Nine is occurring simultaneously. In 1957 in Little Rock, Arkansas five hundred and seventeen African American students were eligible to attend Central High School. Only nine students made it through the process for integration. Federal troops were brought in to escort the students into public school because of their race. A simple example of this type of injustice on a smaller scale was in the essay when Audre’s sister was not allowed to go on a class fieldtrip. Racial injustices in public schools have been occurring for decades and it seems like the closer we as a people get to progress, there are those who try to bring us all back. This type of history should not be repeating itself. In order for a nation to be successful in civil advancement, we all must be on one accord. Everyone must agree that the biases we hold against one another should be eliminated. People must come to the realization that we are all part of the human race and no one is superior to his or her brethren.
I have also realized how colors go beyond black skin versus white skin. Growing up, I have noticed that among Caucasians, females tan to have darker skin. Also, attention is given to those with lighter, blonde hair. Among African Americans, males generally have a preference for females with lighter complexions than to those with darker skin tones. Also, both races use dye to color their hair and contacts to change the color of their eyes. I believe this is a huge example of conformity. It makes me question why people really do this. It seems as if Americans have gradually adapted to what we believe is “acceptable” and “non-acceptable” in our own culture. When in actuality, it should be we the people who define what the culture is, not the commonality that conforms the people. Why is there a preference of one color over another? It is as if it is no longer considered beautiful nor acceptable to look like the person God made one to be. Among African Americans, relaxers are used to straighten “nappy” hair in order to fit into a “straight-haired” society. Is it no longer attractive to express African heritage? Pride can be as harmful or helpful as one makes it. An extreme would be to be so proud of one’s own heritage and background that one can not recognize and appreciate another’s. Yet, one can have too little pride and not hold him or herself in high esteem, and therefore unconsciously hide and suppress who they are. It’s as if American people, who put so much emphasis on independence and celebrate with vibrant colors, place invisible restrictions on themselves. We unintentionally tell one another what we should wear, how pale or dark our skin should be, how we must feel about certain issues, and in a sense who we should be.
In the time period that the story took place, segregation was in effect. Blacks and whites were, by law, forced to be separated in public places. African Americans had to wait in separate waiting rooms, use separate public restrooms, and eat in separate restaurants. All of this has been legally abolished. Yet, in a country so free and independent, we willingly separate ourselves from one another. We chose to sit in separate places in school dining areas. We prefer to spend out time with people of our own color, as if our color reflects our ability to understand one another. It is not our color, but our backgrounds and ability to respect what is different, that build understanding among people. This mutual understanding should then develop and mature into a dynamic respect and admiration for one another as human beings. In the story, she stated that her mother had a bright complexion and her father a dark complexion, Different colors, yet same understanding. So who is to say that people of all races, colors, and creeds can not share this understanding? During the Civil Rights movement, there were blacks as well as whites all fighting for a common cause. The cause was equality amongst people. Perfect example of different colors of people sharing the same understanding.
I believe that the author was also trying to speak out against silence. By this, I mean she is recognizing how, in spite of injustice, people remain quiet. As Americans we tend to loudly celebrate the good and proper and silently ignore the bad and improper. In the essay, they took her to Washington D.C. to view monuments such as the Lincoln Memorial. Symbols which boldly and openly show America’s pride in itself. However, when it came to things such as the signs that said “colored” they refused to buy her sunglasses so she could not see them, nor let her know why they had to bring their own food. Her parents did not see anything wrong with their daughter not being able to take the class field trip, neither did they resist when they were refused service at the counter. I feel as if the author purposely brought this to her readers attention. Encouraging us to not sit back and accept what we know is wrong. We were given rights in this great and powerful nation, but sit back quietly and chose not to take advantage of them when necessary.
Something else I noticed in the essay was little Andre as an individual. Not only does the simple term “Fourth of July” represent independence, but she does as well. Growing up at home, her family tried to shelter her and hide the injustices present in the society she lived in. They knew they were present, but tried to prevent her from learning. At the lunch counter, she learned. At that moment, she became an individual; separate from her family. Unlike them, she did not want to accept what was obviously wrong. She openly declared, “But we hadn’t done anything!” She was independent in her protest, while the rest of her family remained silent. Alone she became angry, while her family passively accepted things as they were.
I hear the author calling out to those of us living in this so-called independent nation to become individuals and speak out against what we feel is wrong, even if we must stand alone. We must take advantage of our freedoms and insist on the things we know are right. We can not be afraid to protest and fight for what we believe. Loud expressions should not only be heard in times of celebration, but in times of unfairness and injustice as well. There is nothing wrong with exercising our rights. It is also our duty to, as Audre Lorde, discover the problems that exist in our society. It is nobody’s job but our own to inform ourselves of the problems that exist, for if we decide to depend on others to present them to us, we may be left uninformed. Thereby, squinting our eyes in a sense, on the things others prefer us not to see.