July 5th: aka "New York Emancipation Day"... by Tonya Hopkins aka @TheFoodGriot

Did you know that July 5th has long been regarded as a “Black Independence Day” for many New York based Black communities from the early 19th century and well into the 20th.

It connects right back to the bigger picture of our multi-layered American freedom story. On July 4th, 1827, New York had finally ended slavery after a decades-long gradual abolition process. But because of very real threats of racist violence and a refusal to celebrate a holiday that didn't yet apply to them, New York’s Black community intentionally chose to take to the streets the very next day—July 5th—to celebrate their own freedom. It’s also the exact day in 1852 that Frederick Douglass famously delivered his fiery "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" speech right here in Rochester, NY.

This year, in 2026, as we mark 250 years of this nation's milestone and journey, it matters more than ever to include July 5th as a core part of our acknowledged freedom holidays (e.g. Juneteenth, 4th of July, Bastille Day, various & sundry Emancipation Days throughout this Union) . We cannot fully understand American freedom without looking at all the days, all the struggles, and all the people who continue to fight and insist that this country to live up to its promise. Freedom didn't drop out of the sky in a single flash on the 4th—it was claimed, day by day, including on the 5th, nearly 200 years ago..

So let’s keep that energy going and stay tuned as we keep digging deeper to the root(s)

🇺🇸 EXPLORE my AMERICA 250 HUB for bigger bites and sips into more inclusive history on how this nation came to be…

👉🏿+ FIND MORE FREE CALENDAR CONTENT HERE👈🏿

🖇️ Check out my entire 🔗 LINKTREE for myriad ways to see what’s going on at a glance and to subscribe so you don't miss a single bite of this hidden history as it continues to unfold!