Fifth of July (New York) facts for kids
The Fifth of July is a historic day in New York. It celebrates when slavery ended in the state in 1827. New York's laws had slowly ended slavery over time. A law passed earlier said that slavery would end on July 4. But because of the danger of violence, African Americans chose to celebrate their freedom on July 5 instead.
These celebrations on July 5 continued for many years in New York. After 1834, they became smaller because of attacks against people who wanted to end slavery. Also, the British ended slavery in their empire around that time, which led to new celebrations on August 1. The July 5 tradition mostly joined with these August 1 events. However, people still remembered July 5 as late as 1859. In 2020, New York officially recognized this day for the first time. It is now called Abolition Commemoration Day and is observed on the second Monday in July.
History of the Fifth of July Celebration
African Americans in New York started planning for this special day as early as March 1827. An early African American newspaper called Freedom's Journal reported on these plans. In Albany, Nathaniel Paul led a meeting where people decided: "Since July 4 is when white citizens celebrate their country's freedom, we think it's right to celebrate on July 5."
On July 4, 1827, African American churches in New York held special services to pray and give thanks. William Hamilton gave a speech at the Mother AME Zion Church. This was the biggest celebration. He talked about the difficult past and how the new law ending slavery was a great step forward. He announced that "no more shall negro and slave be the same thing." People at these events left quietly. They were worried that white people celebrating their own Independence Day might start fights.
The biggest celebration in New York City on July 5, 1827, brought together 2,000 to 4,000 people at St. John's Park. Samuel Hardenburgh led the event. Many groups took part. The New York African Society for Mutual Relief, a group that helped its members, was first in the parade. From the park, they marched to Zion Church and then to City Hall on Broadway. There, they met Mayor William Paulding Jr.. Nathaniel Paul also spoke in Albany on the same day. There was some discussion within the community about how public these celebrations should be. Henry Highland Garnet and James McCune Smith remembered being part of the first celebration in New York City when they were young. Smith recalled that people from many different places, including the Caribbean and Africa, celebrated together.
In June 1834, a group called the National Convention of Free People of Colour met. They decided that July 5 parades should stop. They preferred private community events on July 4 for safety reasons. The next month, celebrations on July 7 were attacked. This event started the New York anti-abolitionist riots. These were attacks against people who wanted to end slavery.
Legacy of the Fifth of July
The African American community in New York continued to use July 4 for serious thought about the difference between America's promises and the reality for Black people. They kept July 5 for their own celebrations of freedom. After 1834, these celebrations became less common. The tradition was still important, but it mostly joined with local celebrations of August 1. This date marked Emancipation Day in the British Empire. New York first observed August 1 in 1838. This became a growing tradition among African Americans across the country.
Frederick Douglass, a famous speaker and writer who fought for freedom, also often celebrated August 1. On July 5, 1852, he gave a powerful speech in Rochester called "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" Many experts see this speech as showing a unique way of thinking about patriotism, tied to the "Fifth of July" idea. The speech did not directly mention the custom of July 5 celebrations. Later, there was a special event in Auburn in 1856. In 1859, William Cooper Nell noted that the tradition was fading but still existed.
The New York groups of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History supported making "Abolition Commemoration Day" a state holiday on the second Monday in July. The state government recognized it, along with Juneteenth, in 2020.
