Carrboro Prepares for Annual Frederick Douglass July 4 Reading

The Town of Carrboro is gearing up for its annual Fourth of July celebration, an event that Carrboro Mayor Lydia Lavelle calls one of her favorite days of the year.

“We always have our traditional people’s parade, which originates at Weaver Street,” Lavelle said. “There they have costume contests. Kids go and can get sparklers and ribbons and all kinds of red, white and blue stuff for their bicycles and for themselves. That’s a real fun kind of gathering which starts kind of early.”

There will also be live music, children’s events and food trucks in Carrboro Town Commons.

Lavelle expects larger crowds than usual this year since the holiday falls in the middle of the work week.

Also happening for the fifth consecutive year is a reading of Frederick Douglass’ speech entitled “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July,” which will be read by volunteers from the community following a keynote introduction by assistant professor of History at UNC William Sturkey.

“It usually generates a lot of discussion, and it informs a lot of folks,” the mayor said. “People usually tell a lot of people about it, and we have a lot of new faces there.”

The tradition was the brainchild of former Orange County public defender James Williams.

The reading will begin at noon in the Carrboro Century Center. Other festivities will begin between 10:30 and 11 A.M.

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