On July 5, 1852, Douglass gave a speech at an event commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence, held at Rochester's Corinthian Hall. It was biting oratory, in which the speaker told his audience, "This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn."
If an author is writing about historical events, they should include historical material, but to emphasize it he should also probably add dialogue or a narrator, depending on the story.
