On the Fourth of July, I ask you:

Should African-Americans celebrate this day? They were slaves when the Declaration of Independence was crafted. Should Native Americans celebrate this day? The white man obliterated them from their lands.

Or perhaps the right question to ask is: How should people of color celebrate American independence? The answer is varied and often, personal.

I am proud to have become an American citizen. I love this country.

But I also understand its brutal history of racism. I know that this day means many things to many people.

Here is Frederick Douglass on the “Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro:” http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/douglassjuly4.html