On Thursday, June 11, 2026, at 6pm in the Luna Theater (in the former Mill No. 5), students at Lowell Community Charter Public School will present a “Reading Frederick Douglass Together” event. In recent years, many communities have come together to perform public readings of Douglass’ historic speech, “What to the Slave is the 4th of July.” Professor Bob Forrant will open the program and then lead a discussion after the reading that will engage the audience in considering the speech’s historical and contemporary context and its enduring relevance.

The event is free but there are limited seats in the Luna Theater so you must sign up in advance. You can do that at this link.

[Please note that in Sunday’s newsletter, I mistakenly wrote the event was on Tuesday rather than Thursday.]