Independence for Whom? We Lit the Fireworks and Still Got Burned: A BIPOC Lament Reflection on the Fourth of July

by Rev. Dr. Tammy Isaac

The Unseen Side of Independence

The Fourth of July is a day wrapped in red, white, and blue. Fireworks fill the skies. Flags wave. Patriotic songs ring out. And yet, for many of us in the BIPOC community, it is also a day wrapped in grief. It is not that we do not love this country. It is that we have felt its contradictions in our bones.

On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence, declaring the 13 American colonies free from British rule and setting into motion the creation of the United States of America. This bold declaration broke ties with King George III and challenged the authority of one of the most powerful empires in the world. It was revolutionary, not just politically, but ideologically. The Declaration, written primarily by Thomas Jefferson, proclaimed that all people are endowed with inalienable rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

The Historical Backdrop

Before independence, the colonies were bound to Britain’s rule and burdened by unjust laws such as the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts. Tensions rose for over a decade, culminating in armed conflict in 1775 with the Battles of Lexington and Concord. By June 1776, a committee including Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston was tasked with drafting a declaration of freedom. Their words shaped a new nation and inspired freedom movements across the globe.

A Foundation Built on Contradiction

While the Declaration’s ideals of liberty were groundbreaking, they were not inclusive. Enslaved Africans remained in bondage. Indigenous peoples were displaced and dishonored. Women were denied basic rights and recognition. So while the Fourth of July marks a historical milestone, it also asks us to wrestle with the truth of unfinished freedom. The dream was declared, but not fully delivered.

How Do We Honor the Day and Our Grief?

We give ourselves permission to feel both things: pride and pain, joy and sorrow, celebration and lament.

Tell the fuller story

We do not have to silence our history. We can speak of stolen labor and land, of resistance and

survival, of voices long ignored that are rising again. “Those who tell the stories rule the

world.” — often attributed to Plato. Telling the truth is a form of freedom.

Honor our ancestors

Light a candle. Say their names. Speak their dreams aloud. According to an old Chinese Proverb,

“To forget one's ancestors is to be a brook without a source, a tree without a root.” Their prayers

and sacrifices are the soil we stand on today.

Create joy on our own terms

Joy in the face of grief is resistance. Dance like the floor is yours. Laugh from your belly.

Whether you're in the backyard or at the cookout asking, “Where them fans at?”, let your body

breathe and be free. That is liberation too.

Grieve out loud

Do not hush your heart. Do not mute your mourning. In the words of Zora Neale Hurston, “If

you are silent about your pain, they’ll kill you and say you enjoyed it.” Grief is how we heal. It

is how we remember. It is how we rise.

We Are Still Becoming Free

For Black and Brown communities, freedom has always been a journey, not a moment. The Declaration may have been signed in 1776, but true liberation is still unfolding. We honor the courage of the founders, yes but we also honor the courage of the freedom fighters who came after. Those who refused to accept a half-told story. Those who insisted we all belong in the narrative of liberty.

Freedom is not just fireworks. It is accountability. It is remembering. It is grieving. It is believing that our liberation matters, even if it was delayed, denied, or still unfolding. So today, let us hold the tension. Let us hold each other. Let us grieve and hope in the same breath. Because we are still becoming FREE.

Read: “Unfinished Freedom: Since 1865, Still Waiting to Be Free” A blog exploring the grief of freedom promised but not fully lived. As we move through July, may we be reminded that our grief is sacred, our healing is revolutionary, and our stories matter.

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The wait is almost over. Permission to Breathe Podcast returns this July with Season 3, bringing fresh conversations, deeper reflections, and sacred pauses for those navigating grief, healing, and everything in between. This new season is rooted in one powerful truth: we don’t have to rush our healing. We just have to keep breathing through it. Season 3 will continue to explore the emotional, spiritual, and physical journey of grief from the quiet ache that lingers to the courage it takes to live again. We’ll hold space for topics that are often unspoken, invite powerful voices to share their stories, and offer honest insights that meet you right where you are.

If you’ve ever needed a place to just be, to cry, to process, to hope. Season 3 is for you. In the meantime, you can revisit Seasons 1 and 2 to hear powerful conversations on grief and faith, the connection between grief and the body, the struggle of spiritual silence, and the courage it takes to live after loss. These episodes are filled with honesty, healing, and reminders that you are not alone. Mark your calendar. Make room for grace. And get ready to breathe again. Season 3 of Permission to Breathe returns July 2025.