“Freedom is very far from being the natural state of mankind; on the contrary, it is an extraordinarily unusual situation.” – Milton Friedman on Freedom.
Reflecting on the Fragility of Freedom
It’s curious to me that Milton Friedman – a lauded American economist, statistician, and 1976 Nobel Prize winner in Economic Sciences, is nearly as famous for his insights on Capitalism and Freedom, as he is for his academic and economic work. That 1962 collection of essays garnered Friedman worldwide acclaim and offers a compelling view of liberty through the eyes of a free-market advocate. From someone so firmly grounded in laissez-faire principles, I find it both surprising and profound that Friedman coined the phrase “the fragility of freedom.” Perhaps we’re thinking about the idea from different angles, but I like it. And I want to reflect on it as we approach several summer holidays that celebrate freedom.
A World Lit Only By Fire†
Let’s begin with Rhode Island. As we all learned in school, the smallest U.S. state was founded on the principles of religious freedom – primarily for Christians. Early settlers seeking religious freedom – including Puritans, Baptists, Sephardic Jews, Quakers, and others – fled persecution in their homelands, and they rebuilt their fragile, fervently pious lives quite literally from the ground (and sea) up. Ironically, they often continued persecuting others once they arrived, driven by an unwavering belief in their right to worship freely at all costs.
Native Americans, who were forced from their tribal lands, also experienced the fragility of freedom. So did the enslaved Africans brought to the colonies—whose freedom was not only taken but denied for nearly 300 years. We’ve made a few steps forward since the Civil War and Civil Rights Era but these wins are still on fragile ground. In the 20th century, Eastern European Jews faced their own devastating losses of life and liberty. And across continents and centuries, the rhythm of repression continues, echoing the same truth: freedom is as fragile as it is precious.
Freedom as a Celebration
Despite this sobering history, it’s essential to recognize and celebrate the hard-won victories along the way—and to maintain hope for future progress. In just a few weeks, we’ll mark Juneteenth nationwide. Soon after, we’ll celebrate Independence Day 2025—the 249th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. (Get ready for an even bigger celebration next year for the Semiquincentennial!)
Freedom Celebration Facts
Even Thomas Jefferson had editors. While July 4 is our recognized Independence Day, the legal separation from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776. The Declaration was approved two days later — only after removing Jefferson’s scathing critique of King George III’s involvement in the transatlantic slave trade. [The irony is sharp: Jefferson himself enslaved people, as did about 16 other signers. Together, these 17 Founding Fathers held around 1,400 human beings in bondage. It would take nearly a century before the descendants of these enslaved people could begin to answer their own call to freedom.]
We know the significance of July 2nd because John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail on July 3rd:
“The second day of July 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America… It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.”
Bristol, Rhode Island took Adams’ words to heart. On July 4, 1777, 13 gunshots were fired in salute at sunrise and sunset – the nation’s first informal Independence Day tribute. The town held its first official parade in 1785, making it the longest-running Fourth of July celebration in the country.
The Civil War and Juneteenth
African Americans have transformed a once-obscure date – June 19, 1865 – into a national holiday, officially recognized in 2021. Juneteenth marks the day that Union General Gordon Grange entered Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865, to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation – two years after it had been issued by Abraham Lincoln – which set all enslaved people free as of January 1, 1863.
Like the Fourth of July, Juneteenth is a powerful symbol of freedom and self-determination for all. It invites us to reflect on the ongoing struggle for equality and freedom. As well, it’s an opportunity to display our collective community pride and cultural expression, and show support for others.
In honor of this 160 year anniversary of the first Juneteenth celebration, Rhode Island Slave History Medallions (RISHM) will host its third annual Newport Juneteenth celebration in historic Washington Square on Saturday, June 21st.
We hope you’ll join us for this free, family-friendly, multi-cultural event – an opportunity to honor the enduring and fragile promise of freedom for all, and respect our heritage.
Article Sources: Britannica
† The title of the book by historian William Manchester, published in 1992
Charles L. Roberts is Executive Director and Founder of Rhode Island Slave History Medallions, www.rishm.org. He can be reached at charles@rishm.org.
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