What's the Fourth of July to a Bissa?
- T. Hasani
- Jul 4
- 5 min read
From the Slave Plantation to the Bissa Homeland: Reclaiming the Meaning of Freedom
Watch Before Reading
Frederick Douglass asked one of the most powerful questions in American history:
"What, to the American Slave, is your Fourth of July?"
Before reading this article, take a few moments to hear his words.
Tomorrow, America celebrates 250 years of independence.
Fireworks will fill the sky. Flags will wave. Speeches will praise liberty.
But for many Foundational Black Americans, July 4th has always raised a deeper question:
What is freedom when your ancestors were still in chains?
As Frederick Douglass asked in his historic 1852 address, "What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July?" He answered that it was a celebration that highlighted "the immeasurable distance" between the ideals of liberty and the reality of slavery.
Today, as members of the Bissa History & Genealogy Society in America (BHGSA), we ask another question:
What is the Fourth of July to a Bissa?
Long before our ancestors were called "Negro," "Colored," or "Black," many belonged to nations with their own identities, governments, philosophies, and civilizations.
Some were Bissa.
Some were Mende.
Some were Akan.
Some were Wolof.
Some were Fulani.
We were nations before we became a race.
The story of our people did not begin on a plantation.
It began in villages, kingdoms, councils of elders, marketplaces, and families stretching across West Africa.
While America celebrates its Declaration of Independence, we remember a different story.
We remember those whose independence was stolen.
Our Ancestors Were Not Celebrating
On July 4, 1776, our ancestors were not celebrating liberty.
Many were enslaved in Virginia, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Louisiana, and throughout the colonies.
Others had already been torn from Africa.
Others were still living freely in places like Guarango, raising families, governing themselves, and preserving traditions that slavery would try,but fail, to erase.
While one people celebrated independence, another remained in bondage.
That contradiction was precisely what Frederick Douglass challenged in his speech. He praised the principles of liberty while condemning the failure to extend those principles to enslaved people.
Freedom Is More Than a Flag
Freedom is not simply the absence of a foreign ruler.
Freedom is justice.
Freedom is dignity.
Freedom is family.
Freedom is land.
Freedom is culture.
Freedom is the ability to know who your ancestors were without having to reconstruct your history through DNA tests centuries later.
That is why genealogy matters.
History matters.
Identity matters.
The Bissa Remember a Different Definition of Freedom
Our ancestors measured freedom differently.
Among the Bissa, communities were strengthened through family, mediation, respect for elders, and collective responsibility.
Disputes were often addressed through dialogue and restoration rather than relying solely on punishment.
Justice sought to restore balance within the community.
That philosophy shares important themes with the ancient African principle of Ma'at, which emphasized truth, justice, harmony, balance, and right relationships.
Today, Burkina Faso is exploring renewed roles for customary leadership through reforms such as Faso Bu-Kaoré, recognizing that African societies possess their own traditions of governance and conflict resolution.
For many in the diaspora, these developments raise an important question:
What can we learn from the governance systems our ancestors created?
What Does Independence Mean Today?
For Foundational Black Americans, independence remains unfinished.
Our history includes slavery, segregation, exclusion from equal citizenship, and continuing debates about justice and opportunity.
The work of freedom did not end with emancipation.
It did not end with Reconstruction.
It did not end with the Civil Rights Movement.
Every generation must continue asking what genuine equality, justice, and self determination require.
As descendants of Africa, reconnecting with our ancestral nations gives us another perspective from which to examine these questions.
Our Fourth of July:
Our Fourth of July is not one of hatred.
It is one of remembrance.
We honor the millions who survived the Middle Passage.
We honor those who resisted slavery.
We honor those who escaped.
We honor those who built this country without enjoying its promises.
We honor those whose names were erased but whose blood still lives in us.
And we honor the ancestors who never forgot who they were.
The Journey Home
For many of us, reconnecting to the Bissa people is more than genealogy.
It is restoration.
It is healing.
It is reclaiming a story interrupted by slavery.
It reminds us that our history did not begin with oppression.
It began with civilization.
It began with family.
It began with Africa.
A Message to the Diaspora
This July 4th, whether you celebrate, reflect, or simply spend time with family, take a moment to remember those whose sacrifices made your existence possible.
Ask yourself:
What does freedom truly mean?
Is it simply independence from another nation?
Or is it knowing who you are, where you come from, and carrying your ancestors legacy forward?
At BHGSA, we believe true freedom includes reclaiming our history.
And that story deserves to be remembered.
Continue the Journey
The Bissa History & Genealogy Society in America is dedicated to reconnecting Bissa descendants and the African diaspora with our history, genealogy, culture, and ancestral homeland.
Whether your goal is to discover your lineage, preserve our history, support village development, or reconnect with Africa, there is a place for you in this movement.
Our ancestors preserved this legacy for us. Now it is our responsibility to preserve it for future generations.
Become a Member
Join a growing community committed to preserving Bissa history, strengthening the connection between Africa and the diaspora, and helping build the next generation of leaders.
Support the Bissa Water Initiative
During our visit to Guarango, the village chief shared that access to clean water is the community's greatest need.
Your support helps us work toward sustainable water projects and community development throughout the Bissa homeland.
Discover Your African Roots
If you've taken an African ancestry DNA test—or you're beginning your journey—we invite you to reconnect with your ancestral homeland through research, education, cultural exchange, and future heritage trips to Burkina Faso.
Share This Article
If this article inspired you, please share it with your family and friends. Every share helps reconnect another descendant with our history.
Reconnect. Remember. Restore.
This was such a powerful and beautifully written reflection. Thank you for reminding us that true freedom is not only about independence, but also about identity, memory, and restoration. The way you connected Frederick Douglass’ question to the Bissa story was both moving and thought-provoking. May more people be inspired to reconnect with their roots, honor their ancestors, and carry their legacy forward. Thank you for preserving and sharing this history.