In the seats of the Roebbelen Center, Roseville CA, hundreds of people from 57 different counties became American citizens just days before Independence Day.
US Citizenship Podcast
Prepare for the U.S. Citizenship Interview
Saturday, July 5, 2025
The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro by Fredrick Douglass
uscitizenpod: Fredrick Douglass and Independence
Happy Independence Day Week! Today we will listen to an old podcast from uscitizenpod: USCIS 100:99 July 4th, Slavery, and Fredrick Douglass
We will first read about Q99 from the USCIS M638 quick civics lesson. Then we will discuss the Declaration of Independence, the Compromise of 1850, and abolitionist Fredrick Douglass. Then we will listen to a short reading from Fredrick Douglass speech: “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro.” Note that Negro was a common term for Black or African-Americans, but it is not often used today. Let's get started.
DOWNLOAD MP3
excerpt from The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro by Fredrick Douglass
What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July?
I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelly to which he is the constant victim.
To him, your celebration is a sham;
your boasted liberty, an unholy license;
your national greatness, swelling vanity;
your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless;
your denunciations of tyrants, brass fronted impudence;
your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery;
your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings,
with all your religious parade, and solemnity, are, to him, mere bombast,
fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy—a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages...
TimelessReader1: Meaning of July 4th for the Negro - Frederick Douglass Speech - Hear the Text
Listen to and read text from The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro, written by abolitionist and former slave: Frederick Douglass. Frederick Douglass presented this speech on July 5, 1852 in Rochester, NY. This speech concludes with a poem, a peace prayer, written by William Lloyd Garrison
For more info:
See zinnedproject.org: Frederick Douglass Fights for Freedom
Watch actor Danny Glover read abolitionist Frederick Douglass's "Fourth of July Speech, 1852" on October 5, 2005 in Los Angeles, California. Part of a reading from Voices of a People's History of the United States (Howard Zinn and Anthony Arnove.)
NPR: ‘What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July?’: Descendants Read Frederick Douglass' Speech
The U.S. celebrates this Independence Day amid nationwide protests and calls for systemic reforms. In this short film, five young descendants of Frederick Douglass read and respond to excerpts of his famous speech, "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" which asks all of us to consider America's long history of denying equal rights to Black Americans.
We will first read about Q99 from the USCIS M638 quick civics lesson. Then we will discuss the Declaration of Independence, the Compromise of 1850, and abolitionist Fredrick Douglass. Then we will listen to a short reading from Fredrick Douglass speech: “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro.” Note that Negro was a common term for Black or African-Americans, but it is not often used today. Let's get started.
DOWNLOAD MP3
excerpt from The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro by Fredrick Douglass
What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July?
I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelly to which he is the constant victim.
To him, your celebration is a sham;
your boasted liberty, an unholy license;
your national greatness, swelling vanity;
your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless;
your denunciations of tyrants, brass fronted impudence;
your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery;
your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings,
with all your religious parade, and solemnity, are, to him, mere bombast,
fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy—a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages...
TimelessReader1: Meaning of July 4th for the Negro - Frederick Douglass Speech - Hear the Text
Listen to and read text from The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro, written by abolitionist and former slave: Frederick Douglass. Frederick Douglass presented this speech on July 5, 1852 in Rochester, NY. This speech concludes with a poem, a peace prayer, written by William Lloyd Garrison
For more info:
See zinnedproject.org: Frederick Douglass Fights for Freedom
Watch actor Danny Glover read abolitionist Frederick Douglass's "Fourth of July Speech, 1852" on October 5, 2005 in Los Angeles, California. Part of a reading from Voices of a People's History of the United States (Howard Zinn and Anthony Arnove.)
NPR: ‘What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July?’: Descendants Read Frederick Douglass' Speech
The U.S. celebrates this Independence Day amid nationwide protests and calls for systemic reforms. In this short film, five young descendants of Frederick Douglass read and respond to excerpts of his famous speech, "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" which asks all of us to consider America's long history of denying equal rights to Black Americans.
Friday, July 4, 2025
Summer Citizenship Lesson 15--INDEPENDENCE DAY!
Classroom:
- Pearson ELT USA Team: UPDATED Naturalization Speaking Test from Voices of Freedom by Bill Bliss. pg 227-233
- Voices of Freedom: Ch 12: Citizens Rights and Responsibilities
- Preparing for the Oath: Responsibilities (homework)
- American History and Integrated Civics Questions (USCIS 100:58-100) for the Naturalization Test
More Resources
- Happy Independence Day! (many resources for July 4)
- Venture Arcade (click CITIZENSHIP on the upper right corner)
Originally published Jan 8, 2025
Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Summer Citizenship Lesson 14
New York Historical: Oath of Allegiance // The Citizenship Project [E02]
Classroom:
- 10 Practice Citizenship Interview based on the USCIS Form N-400 (2024)
- Holiday Stamps and Religious Freedom pdf
- A Citizenship Quiz for Christmas (2021) mp3 / pdf / video
- Voices of Freedom: Ch 12: Citizens Rights and Responsibilities
- Preparing for the Oath: Responsibilities (homework)
- n-400r-18 Oath of Allegiance
- Civic Responsibilities pdf
More Resources
- Venture Arcade (click CITIZENSHIP on the upper right corner)
Originally published Dec 18, 2024
Summer Citizenship Lesson 13
Center for Civic Education: The United Nations
Classroom:
- 09 Practice Citizenship Interview based on the USCIS Form N-400 (2024)
- A Citizenship Quiz in Honor of the UDHR and Human Rights Day mp3 and pdf
- The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) Word Search Puzzle pdf
- Voices of Freedom: Ch 11: Presidents and Holidays
- Preparing for the Oath: Famous Citizens (homework)
- uscitizenpod: A Quick Guide to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)
- uscitizenpod: A Quick Review of the Bill of Rights and the N-400 Part 12 plus Civics Questions mp3 and pdf and video (2017)
- Center for Civic Education: What are the similarities and differences between the Bill of Rights and UN declarations of rights?
More Resources
- Venture Arcade (click CITIZENSHIP on the upper right corner)
Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Summer Citizenship Lesson 12
New York Historical: World War II // The Citizenship Project [E06]
Classroom:
- 08 Practice Citizenship Interview based on the USCIS Form N-400 (2024)
- Coin Quiz
- Voices of Freedom: Ch 10: 20th century
- Preparing for the Oath: The 1900s (homework)
- Citizenship Interview Quiz: América Griselda Ayes (Tegucigalpa, Honduras) pdf
Monday, June 30, 2025
Summer Citizenship Lesson 11
Also see: VOA: The Rise and Fall of Labor Unions (late 1800s to mid 1900s)
n-400r-8 Work and School
Do/Did quiz
n-400r-12j Military Service
Military History quiz
uscitizenpod: A 21-Question “Salute” for Veterans Day pdf
More Resources
- June 19 to July 4: Civic Season
- Venture Arcade (click CITIZENSHIP on the upper right corner)
Sunday, June 29, 2025
New U.S citizens take oath of allegiance at Stonewall Monument
Reuters: New U.S citizens take oath of allegiance at Stonewall Monument
A naturalization ceremony was held for 12 new citizens at the historic Stonewall Monument in New York, as the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services commemorated Pride Month.
Learn more: NPS.gov Stonewall Nation Monument
Saturday, June 28, 2025
American PRIDE!
In honor of LGBT Pride Month, a single question about the Flag: Long May She Wave! Text: uscitizenpod | Video: Lori Saltis
Take the full quiz:
LOVE AND PRIDE: A Citizenship Quiz in Honor of LGBT Pride Month (10 questions)
Ten Resources to go (Plus one--so many more explore!)
- Amnesty: LGBTI RIGHTS
- House: LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus
- Census: LGBTQIA+ Pride Month
- US Dept of Ed OCR: Resources for LGBTQI+ Students
- GLBT Historical Society: Pride Archival Resources
- HHS: LGBTQI+ Health & Well-being
- HRC: Tools for equality and inclusion
- LGBTQ History: Teaching LGBTQ History
- NMAH: LGBTQ History
- NPS: Stonewall National Monument (check out there 15 part video series)
- Share America: 5 Locations Important to LGBTQI+ Rights in the United States
Center for Civic Education: 60 Second Civics LGBTQ+ Pride Week Series
- Part 1: What’s Significant About the Stonewall Riots?
- Part 2: Laying the Groundwork for LGBTQ+ Rights
- Part 3: Goodridge: The Cinderella Moment for Marriage Equality
- Part 4: Early Legislative Victories for LGBTQ+ Rights
- Part 5: The Defense of Marriage Act
- Part 6: Obergefell v. Hodges
- Part 7: The Future for LGBTQ+ Rights
Library of Congress (LOC)
- LGBTQ+ Studies Web Archive
- LGBTQ+ Studies Research Guide
- LGBTQ+ Sports and Recreation Research Guide
- Research Guides: LGBTQ+ Studies
- LGBTQ Pride Month Resources
- Stonewall 50: LGBTQ+ Research
- Biden Boosts LGBTQ Pride Month With White House Celebration
- Gay Chinese couple talks about acceptance in US vs. China
- LGBT: The Gay Pride Movement | Plugged In with Greta Van Susteren
- Pride Month Celebrations, Protests in Los Angeles
- Transgender Migrants Seek Asylum in the US
- What Is Title VII of the Civil Rights Act?
- Equal treatment. That’s the idea behind the Civil Rights Act. One part of the legislation, called Title VII deals with the workplace. What does that mean for American workers? VOA explains.
- US Supreme Court: Obergefell v Hodges
- US Supreme Court Rules Same-Sex Marriage Is Legal in 2015 article, video, and mp3
Miscellaneous:
- ADL: LGBTQ+ Pride Month and Education Resources
- National Center for Education Statistics: NCES Celebrates LGBTQ+ Pride Month
- Pro Literacy: Let’s Make Adult Ed Classes LGBTQ Inclusive
- United 4 Social Change: Teaching about LGBTQ+ Pride/History (Month)
- uscitizenpod: LOVE AND PRIDE: A Citizenship Quiz in Honor of LGBT Pride Month (10 questions) pdf | mp3 | video
Friday, June 27, 2025
Summer Citizenship Lesson 10
uscitizenpod: New York Historical Society: The Emancipation Proclam!ation
(printer failure! had to use backup lessons)
uscitizenpod: A “Typical” Citizenship Interview Based on the USCIS N-400r (4 pages)
Voices of Freedom: Ch 8: 1800s
Preparing the Oath: The 1800s
More Resources
- Venture Arcade (click CITIZENSHIP on the upper right corner)
Originally posted Nov. 13, 2024
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