As per tradition, the Vineyard will hold two readings this week of the Frederick Douglass speech The Meaning of the Fourth of July for the Negro.

The speech was originally given on July 5, 1852 to the Rochester Anti-Slavery and Sewing Society. Five years later, on November 29, 1857, Mr. Douglass gave his speech The Unity of Man to an audience at the First Congregational Church (now known as Federated Church), and at the Edgartown Town Hall.

Fittingly, the first reading will be held at the Federated Church in Edgartown on Tuesday,  July 2. The program starts at noon and runs to 1:30 p.m.

On July 4, the Renaissance House will host a reading at Inkwell Beach in Oak Bluffs, beginning at 4:30.