Frederick Douglass recounts his trip as Frederick Bailey fleeing slavery in 1838 on a train journey from Baltimore, to New York as Frederick Douglass in his short essay My Escape from Slavery. With imagery that allows the reader to experience his trials and worries, the story describes his experiences and hurdles on his way to his new free life (Douglass, 1881) in New York. Douglass begins by explaining why he was afraid to write about his escape. He reveals that he was feeling this way for two reasons. First, if he told his narrative of his escape, he would destroy the procedure for future slaves attempting to do the same if it became public. Second, he is concerned that it may jeopardize those excellent men and women for their heroic boldness, and even while he applauds them for freely putting themselves to violent punishment, he is concerned (Douglass, 1881). Therefore, this story was kept hidden for a long time.
Frederick Douglass begins his voyage by catching a train from Baltimore, Maryland, to Philadelphia. He criticizes the inefficiency of documents that prove he was a freed slave, then proceeds to use one he acquired from a friend. While he was ecstatic to be in New York, he quickly became concerned about being apprehended and returned to servitude. Soon after landing in New York, he encountered a guy named William Dixon, who told him that although he was in the North, there were many man-hunters, some of whom were black, willing to return an escaped slave to the South for a fee. Douglass is fortunate in that he meets David Ruggles, an abolitionist who advises him to go to New Bedford, Massachusetts. After learning of his safety, his intended wife, a liberated lady, met him in Baltimore, and they married, then traveled to New Bedford.
Upon arrival, they moved in with Nathan Johnson, another abolitionist. When generating his new paperwork, Nathan is the one who decides to alter Fredericks last name from Bailey to Douglass. The inhabitants seemed more able, stronger, healthier, and happier than those of Maryland, Douglass says of the Norths prosperity (Douglass, 1881). He goes on to describe the difficulties he had while traveling around to different professions to support his family, always returning to the idea that he was a free man to lift his spirits. In essence, while Frederick Douglass was able to escape slavery and make his way to the North, many other enslaved individuals were not so fortunate. Douglass uses pictures to help the reader understand the hardships faced by enslaved African Americans during his days.
Reference
Douglass, F. (1881). My escape from slavery. The Century Illustrated Magazine, 23(1), 125-131.
Frederick Douglass recounts his trip as Frederick Bailey fleeing slavery in 1838 on a train journey from Baltimore, to New York as Frederick Douglass in his short essay My Escape from Slavery. With imagery that allows the reader to experience his trials and worries, the story describes his experiences and hurdles on his way to his new free life (Douglass, 1881) in New York. Douglass begins by explaining why he was afraid to write about his escape. He reveals that he was feeling this way for two reasons. First, if he told his narrative of his escape, he would destroy the procedure for future slaves attempting to do the same if it became public. Second, he is concerned that it may jeopardize those excellent men and women for their heroic boldness, and even while he applauds them for freely putting themselves to violent punishment, he is concerned (Douglass, 1881). Therefore, this story was kept hidden for a long time.
Frederick Douglass begins his voyage by catching a train from Baltimore, Maryland, to Philadelphia. He criticizes the inefficiency of documents that prove he was a freed slave, then proceeds to use one he acquired from a friend. While he was ecstatic to be in New York, he quickly became concerned about being apprehended and returned to servitude. Soon after landing in New York, he encountered a guy named William Dixon, who told him that although he was in the North, there were many man-hunters, some of whom were black, willing to return an escaped slave to the South for a fee. Douglass is fortunate in that he meets David Ruggles, an abolitionist who advises him to go to New Bedford, Massachusetts. After learning of his safety, his intended wife, a liberated lady, met him in Baltimore, and they married, then traveled to New Bedford.
Upon arrival, they moved in with Nathan Johnson, another abolitionist. When generating his new paperwork, Nathan is the one who decides to alter Fredericks last name from Bailey to Douglass. The inhabitants seemed more able, stronger, healthier, and happier than those of Maryland, Douglass says of the Norths prosperity (Douglass, 1881). He goes on to describe the difficulties he had while traveling around to different professions to support his family, always returning to the idea that he was a free man to lift his spirits. In essence, while Frederick Douglass was able to escape slavery and make his way to the North, many other enslaved individuals were not so fortunate. Douglass uses pictures to help the reader understand the hardships faced by enslaved African Americans during his days.
Reference
Douglass, F. (1881). My escape from slavery. The Century Illustrated Magazine, 23(1), 125-131.
Slavery had many negative effects on the enslaved people as discussed by Douglass in the book, Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass and McPherson in the book, What they fought for 1861-1865 . Reflecting on the life of Douglass Frederick and written in prose form, the narrative defines the thoughts of the author on various aspects of slavery from the social, economic, security, and the need for appreciation of human rights perspectives.
On the other hand, the book, What they fought for 1861-1865 is vital in understanding history of America and how wars change the social and political systems. Thus, this analytical treatise attempts to explicitly compare and contrast the views of Douglass and McPherson on effects of slavery on enslaved people and slave owners.
Effects of slavery on enslaved people
Across the first six chapters, Douglass explores several instances when slavery created an unequal social and economic environment between the slaves and those who enslaved them. To begin with, unlike the white children, Douglass and other blacks were not allowed to know their date of birth.
The children of the slaves were separated from their mothers by the slave owners at a tender age. The female slaves were subjected to sexual abuse by their owners and the children, out of these sexual exploits, were forced by the law to become slaves (Douglass, 13).
The slaves were subjected to vicious attacks by their mean masters. For instance, Aunt Hester was violently whipped by the Captain in what Douglass described as a hellish encounter. Besides, Mr. Gore, who is a ranch foreman, promptly shot a slave called Demby for refusing to vacate the creek after enduring physical attack by the mean and proud supervisor (Douglass, 31).
The slaves were never given beds and had to survive on bare minimal allowances consisting of a single piece of linen, pork and hardly enough corn. The freedom of speech and expression were not part of the master-slaver relationship. For instance, Colonel Lloyd was very mad at the honesty of one of the slaves that he had to sell him for speaking the truth.
Same as Douglass views on the effects of slavery on enslaved people, McPhersons book defines the American conflict as greatly contributed by the inhuman treatment of slaves. He states that the confederates fought for independence, for their property and way of life, for their survival as a nation (McPherson, 27).
McPherson captures the memoirs of the soldiers and their resentments on brutality, sexual harassment, and denial of freedom of expression as the underlying factors which inspired them to go into the battle field.
McPherson underlines the ideological commitment and patriotism of the soldiers as a result of deep convictions to seek independence, freedom, and basic human rights for the slaves. Reflectively, a large number of those men in blue and gray were intensely aware of the issues at stake and passionately concerned about them (McPherson, 4). The author represents human interaction and belonging to a particular ideology as elevating visions of human society as free of slavery.
Due to unstructured relationship between the slaves and their masters, harmony balance was threatened by sudden changes in the social systems as influenced by the capitalist oriented slave owners. This brought questions on how people need to stay together and to attain their needs equitably, without involving in overindulgence, selfishness, and myopia.
Many soldiers endeavored to comprehend the revolutionary implications of the conflict as it continued to evolve in an ordinary arena of ideological expression within their scope of view (McPherson, 31).
Understanding the position of the slaves, in the then human society, requires critical analysis of cognitive values attached to practices, beliefs, and social dynamics which controlled and aligned the society towards astute of simultaneously interacting functions.
State of anarchy as a result of the conflict brought threat to the peaceful coexistence as a result of life interference brought about by slavery. Unlike Douglass who lived through the experience, McPherson adopted the passive voice in reporting the thoughts and views of the soldiers on slavery (Henretta and Brody, 21).
Effects of slavery on slave owners
Douglass reflects on cheap labor, abuse of power, exploitation of humanity, expansion of profits, and entertainment as the benefits that slave owners had. To begin with, the slaves were treated as a commodity and provided cheap and abundant labor to the slave owners operating as a human exploitation cartel.
Captain Anthony, Gore, and other slave owners become very successful since they expanded their farms by exploiting the free labor provided by the slaves. The slaves were also objects of entertainment, sexual exploits, and part of assets which would quantify a slave owners wealth. Douglass, Demby, and other slaves are reminded of their position as servants of the powerful slaver owners (Douglass, 21).
The author identifies the need to expand dominance as factor which influenced the slave owners to buy slaves for their expansive ventures. Douglass is successful in linking the social, economic, and cultural elements of the slave owners to the establishment of a tight system of selling and buying slaves at will, irrespective of age or choice.
The growing interest from both ends of the divide spurred the slave trade relationship. This trade was protected from external interferences by the laws that slave owners and other agencies quickly created, especially when a situation demanded for such (Douglass, 21).
On the other hand, McPherson highlights the great economic leap experienced by the slave owners who capitalized on weak laws, influential organizations, and intimidation to reap maximum benefits, without having to incur any major costs of production. He explores the social class structure and how economics influenced the nature of the relationship the soldiers had with past experiences.
The author is successful in establishing the basic elements of social class structure as determined by the ability to organize unwilling human beings as commodities of sale in the form of slaves (McPherson, 23).
In unison, Douglass displays the ungratefulness and cunning nature of the slave owners towards their slaves despite getting free labor and maximum returns (Douglass, 31). Excessive harassment by the slave owners spilled into conflict as the soldiers were determined to restore their lost right (McPherson, 13).
Conclusion
The authors display a ferocious literature that identifies the aspects of racism and stereotyping in the early society of America as a result of slavery and slave trade. Slavery is presented as having imprisoned the blacks and half casts who are traded in the labor market as a commodity. The unfair treatment of slaves by the slave owners inspired conflict as the soldiers were determine to restore their rights and those of the slaves.
Works Cited
Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass. New York, NY: Harvard University Press, 2009. Print.
Henretta, James, & Brody David. America: A Concise History. New York, NY: Bedford, 2009. Print.
McPherson, James. What they fought for 1861-1865. New York, NY: Anchor Books, 1995. Print.
Douglass may be regarded as one of the most prominent figures in the history of the United States. Being an outstanding intellectual, author, public speaker, and activist of his time, he substantially contributed to the development of the abolitionist movement as its leader ( Frederick Douglass Biography, 2020). Douglass was born in slavery, however, he had an opportunity to escape and subsequently join abolitionists in Massachusetts ( Frederick Douglass Biography, 2020). Later, he became a lecturer of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society and participated in its long-lasting tour across the country to spread the ideas concerning the necessity of slavery abolition ( Frederick Douglass Biography, 2020). In addition, Douglass supported womens right and their right to vote in particular. Abolitionist newspapers created and published by him promoted human rights equality regardless of gender and race.
Being a respectful and talented spokesman and one of the most well-known Black people in the United States, Frederick Douglass used his influence to improve the positions of African Americans. He conferred with Abraham Lincoln on multiple subjects related to slavery and Black people. As a result, in 1863, Emancipation Proclamation that declared slaves freedom in Confederate territory was passed ( Frederick Douglass Biography, 2020). Due to the passion and hard work of this person, slavery was subsequently abolished in the whole territory of the United States ( Frederick Douglass Biography, 2020). Free slaves were granted citizenship and protected under the law from racial and gender discrimination. After the Civil War, Douglass held several political positions in the government and worked as an ambassador to the Dominican Republic ( Frederick Douglass Biography, 2020). Later, Frederick Douglass was nominated for the countrys vice president, however, he had never campaigned and continued to fight for human rights and equality until his death.
Reference
Frederick Douglass Biography. (2020). Biography. Web.
Margaret fuller was born in 1810 in England. She was a brilliant woman who started transcendentalism and championed the fight for women to be given equal rights as the men. Due to her brilliance she stood out, unfortunately she was unappreciated in the patriarchal society. She was an author and a social reformer who stood above her associates in her critical ability and in literary expression. She established Dial a publication that carried the works of transcendentalists. She had discussions with women in Boston and from these gatherings she got materials which she used to fight for the rights of women (Sarah Margaret, 1).
She was involved in the transcendentalist movement that challenged the society and the culture. She wrote the Zenobia in the periodical Blithedale Romance. She was a great literary critic and she worked for the New York Tribune and covered the works of literature of many writers like Goethe and Ritcher (Sarah Margaret, 1).
She was a philanthropist and a reformer. She fought for the women to be emancipated. In the transcendentalist movement she conducted conversations to help pass the movements idea, that people could change their lives if they changed their thinking (Newman, 1). She wrote a manifesto called The great Lawsuit, or Man vs. Men, Woman vs. Women (Newman 1). In this manifesto she urged for women to be given an opportunity to exploit their potential. She saw the society transforming for the better if the imbalance between the women and men was abolished. This imbalance had led to the society becoming deformed. This dream about society was similar to the one that Fredrick had that all slaves in America would be free and they would enjoy all the rights and liberties enjoyed by the free men.
Margaret fuller had a natural gift of critic. She was not trained just like Fredrick Douglass who was not trained but had great talent that when he wrote his first autobiography some doubted how a former slave could write so well (Newman, 1). Fuller was a genius and used her knowledge to judge things and people (Sarah Margaret, 1).
Fredrick Douglass
Fredrick Douglass was born by a black salve mother and a white father in Tuckahoe Maryland in 1818. He was raised by hid masters relatives Hugh and Sophia Auld after he was separated from his mother. They taught him to read and write which was against the laws of the state. In his twentieth year he escaped from slavery and got married. He relocated to Massachusetts and began to speak for abolitionism. He did this through speaking to his audiences where he used his great rhetorical style of speech to rally fro support for his cause. Due to his oratory skills he gained fame the world over (Thomas, 1).
He wrote his autobiography in 1845 which was called Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass, an American Slave. In this book he talked of his struggles to gain freedom. He was forced into exile because he had revealed his identity but his anti slavery friends bought his freedom. He started his paper when he moved to the United States called The North Star. In this paper he carried on his abolitionist crusade. In 1857 the Supreme Court ruled that the blacks had no rights in the United States Constitution which angered Douglass and a debate over slavery was carried across the country (Thomas, 1).
He gained achieved a reputation in speaking skills even though he did not have a formal education. He wrote an important Narrative using his great speaking skills and his attention to details. He also became a newspaper publisher.
As a frontrunner in the abolitionist movement he fought for slavery to end. During the civil war he was an advisor to President Lincoln and he fought for amendments in the constitution to grant blacks voting rights and civil liberties. He was a strong voice in crusading for human rights during his time and today he is recognized for the contribution he made to end racial injustices in the United States.
Comparison
Both Margaret fuller and Fredrick Douglass were champions of human rights. They used their great rhetorical skills to pass across the message that was dear to them. Douglass used his writings to talk about the plight of slaves and he did so with great skills. Today his works are studied. This is because of their rich content and the skillful manner of his writing and speech. This was no mean achievement for a person who educated himself by reading books. He refused to be silent when his fellow human beings were suffering. On the other hand Margaret Fullers work is being studied today.
Their rhetorical styles were similar. They were both persuasive in their speech thus they had many people paying attention to what they had to say. In their works they expressed themselves so well. They do so with honesty that endeared many people to their writings and speeches. They were effective communicators and their messages were understood by people.
Fredrick was a smith of words because the words he used in his writings were brilliant (Wersterman, 1). He selected words well and used them as tools of change in the society he lived in. he used proverbs in his speech and writing which made him an effective communicator by increasing the impact of his message thus making him an effective activist. He drew his proverbs from the bible, the literary sources he read and from his folk speech
Fullers style of writing was unusual. It did not follow conversation style, it was unstructured. This could explain why it was ignored for so long until recently when an interest in womens writing of the nineteenth century was reawakened. She spoke better than she wrote as those who listened and read her writings remarked (Newman, 1). However her work was brilliant.
Conclusion
Their rhetorical styles may have been unusual but they left an indelible mark in the literary field. The work they wrote is rich in folklore. Anyone wishing to understand life in the nineteenth century can do so by reading their works. For instance in Fullers work one will recognize that she does not say that women are superior in nature to men. No, what she advocated for was that both men and women should be given the freedom to exploit their potentials. On the other hand Douglass realized that men in America would never achieve their full potential, which was the divine purpose as long as some men were slaves. The ideas expressed by these artists are still relevant in the 21st century.
Bibliography
Fredrick Douglass Biography Caring Institute and the National Park Service. Web.
The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is a detailed analysis of the oppression Frederick Douglass went through before his freedom. In the autobiography, he provides his readers with first-hand information about his encounters that were characterized by pain, brutality, and humiliation. Douglass emphasizes the cruelty of perpetrators and how it impacted victims (24). He spent several years as a slave before escaping to freedom; during this time, he witnessed the brutalization of black people whose only crime was their skin color. His escape to liberation was inseparable from his attainment of literacy.
Literacy marked the first step of his fellow black slaves and his road to freedom. He learned about slaverys unfairness from a book he found called The Columbian Orator that detailed different beliefs against slavery (Douglass 45). What he learned from this book angered him and he started to think that he was not supposed to be a slave. Hence, A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass outlines Douglasss road to liberation from slavery that started with his attainment of literacy.
In the book, Douglass starts by revealing his identity; he was born in Talbot County, Maryland, in 1818. His mother was a slave (owned by Anthony) making Douglass a slave to Anthony (Douglass 19). He never knew his white father (Douglass 17). He writes about the customs of his time; for example, after the death of his mother, he was left in the Lloyd Plantation by his grandmother. On this farm, Douglass came to comprehend the realities of slave life.
At the age of eight, he was sent to Hugh Auld family in Baltimore. He narrates starting to live in Baltimore was the foundation for his life and opened the doors to subsequent prosperity. Douglass was sent back to the plantations in the 1830s and it was difficult for him to adjust. Douglasss first free attempt was in 1836, but his plan was discovered and as a result, he was imprisoned. After his release, he was sent back to Baltimore and started working in shipyards. Douglass, at last, escaped in 1838 disguised as a free sailor and in 1841, he gave his first anti-slavery speech in a convention in Nantucket.
Douglass also details the reasons for freeing to liberation. He describes that although he was physically a slave, his mind was never enslaved. In the book, he illustrates that a man can only be enslaved by remaining ignorant. Douglass illustrates that the reason many Africans remained as slaves was that their owners dominated them both physically and mentally by implanting fear and denying them education. Douglass explains that education deprival made them mentally weak forcing them to remain as slaves rather than fighting for their freedom. After learning, Douglass became infatuated with the idea of escaping slavery.
His career as a slave reached a turning point during the fight with Covey. After the fight, Douglass decided he would not be whipped again. His book outlines the pain and suffering black people experienced and how he fought and struggled for his freedom by studying. His beliefs on the unfairness of slavery among black people were strengthened. He became more determined to free slavery and be a free man.
The book gives an explicit description of how Douglass run-away from slavery. The key to his escape to liberation was his ability to read. After learning how to read, all his efforts were focused on becoming a freeman. His getaway plan included four other slaves where he forged passes that granted them permission to travel up the Chesapeake Bay and go to Baltimore for Easter Holiday. They were later arrested after one of the slaves betrayed them.
Douglass did not give up and he planned another escape two years later. The last parts of the autobiography detail Douglasss life after escaping. He was lonely and insecure but never trusted any man. He explains that both the white man and the black man could not be trusted. He feared of being betrayed. Hence, his life after freeing was not easy, especially after the initial excitement had worn down.
Overall, Frederick Douglasss autobiography is a detailed description of his life and uses it to expose the atrocities of slavery. The book describes various events in his life that facilitated his escape to freedom. It also accounts for the effects of slavery on both the colored people and their owners. The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass includes about three decades of slavery and provides details about Frederick Douglass, his identity, beliefs and when hist story took place.
It also comprises of what he did, his liberation, and life as a freeman. After the escape, Douglass became an active advocate of the abolition of slavery and the end of racial segregation. In 1845, Douglass published his autobiography and moved to England to escape recapture. Overall, the book accounts for Douglasss life by mostly focusing on his slavery life and how he got away and inspired many slaves.
Work Cited
Douglass, Frederick. A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. S.l.: LULU COM, 2019. Print.
One of the seminal literary works revealing the theme of historical legacy is The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, written as the memoirs of a dark-skinned American slave. The book proper consists of eleven chapters describing, in chronological order, childhood, the stages of learning to write, the periods of emotional and psychological crises, the moves, and Douglasss becoming a famous abolitionist. Notably, this literary work reflects the profound socio-philosophical transcendent ideas and theories of abolitionism that can be found in two critical essays, Resistance to Civil Government and Self Reliance. This essay seeks to discuss the connection found and demonstrate a deep understanding of these ideas core.
The lives and existence of slaves in America can hardly be described as happy, but there is no doubt that slaves were deprived of the ability to reason and dream under such monstrous conditions. Douglass autobiographical work is a perfect illustration of the presence of transcendent thoughts about personal freedom, the limits of happiness, and true knowledge that cannot be attained by experience. Nevertheless, the pursuit of the ideal is at the core of the philosophy of transcendence. Similar sentiments were expressed by Emerson in his essay Self Reliance, which is an exploration of solitude, individualism, and the pursuit of ones ideals. Thus, it can be seen that both authors have a clear tendency to identify the tool for achieving the ideal, namely the continuous process of gaining knowledge (Emerson 73). In the fifth chapter of his memoir, Douglass spoke of learning how to write, and near the end of the book, he passed on this knowledge to the rest of the slaves (Douglass 20). On this basis, it might be postulated that there is a correspondence between the two works as to what defines the path to happiness.
It is fair to discuss other ideas found in the comparative analysis of the works presented: one serious aspect is the nature of the relationship between state and society. The critical question here is to determine whether the government can embrace societys interests and demonstrate equal treatment of all. Douglass and Thoreau gave a negative answer to this question, which is generally not surprising given mens abolitionist worldview (Thoreau 319; Douglass 35). Douglass recognized inequality on all levels, including legislative practices regarding black and white Americans (Milloy). Thoreau also believed that states should not show social injustice by not recognizing a government that endorses slavery (320). This leads to the idea that both authors were not inclined to evaluate statehood positively and recognized the government in place at the time as ineffective and illegitimate.
Douglasss autobiographical notes define his difficult path to achieving public recognition, and based on them, it is appropriate to call the speakers life a dedicated abolitionist. The core of this current defines the philosophical recognition of the importance and equivalence of all lives regardless of differences, and hence abolitionism was directed toward the struggle against slavery. In his memoirs, Douglass repeatedly urged the reader to understand the monstrosity and cruelty of such experiences through descriptions of the physical and psychological pressures from white slave owners (Douglass 16). The philosophical ideals of abolition acts of gratuitous assistance to slaves and participation in the lives of the poor briefly described in the essay make Thoreau as much of an abolitionist as Douglass. On the other hand, although Emerson did not join the formal abolitionist movement, his ideas also allow the essayist to be seen as an abolitionist.
In conclusion, it should be noted that the mid-nineteenth-century era enormously influenced the philosophical and literary, as can be found in reading the proposed works. Douglasss memoirs describe the travails of his lifes journey, but even in them, the correspondences to the transcendent ideals of freedom, cognition, and self-identity examined by Thoreau and Emerson are noticeable. This essay is a useful material for examining the nature of the slave-owning American era, which received a backlash in the form of the development of the abolitionist movement.
Works Cited
Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written by Himself. The Norton Anthology of American Literature, 1853.
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. Self-reliance. Caxton Society, 1909.
Southerners during the 19th century believed slavery was a valuable commodity. According to the Historical Statistics of the United States, it was estimated that there were around three million slaves throughout that time period (“Statistics on Slavery”). Also, during this time, women were denied many governmental rights. In a time of social oppression regarding the human rights of women and African Americans, this caused sparked many activists struggling to fight for the freedom all people deserve. A variety of different people supported these movements but one of the most prominent figures was Frederick Douglass. He endured many of hardships in his years of slavery, but he used these experiences to better himself into becoming one of the most influential Civil Rights Activists in American history. Frederick Douglass’s efforts helped foster women’s rights and cultivate civilians to end the practice of slavery, forever changing history.
Frederick Douglass was born in February 1808 in Tuckahoe, Maryland. Born into slavery, he became one of the most eminent advocates of abolition. Douglass grew up through a childhood of punishments. Growing up as a slave and seeing the aspects of slavery ached Douglass (Hagler). Douglass was later sent to Baltimore to live with Hugh Auld for seven years. His old mistress, Sophia Auld, taught Douglass the alphabet and then how to spell simple words. As soon as Hugh Auld discovered this, he forbade Sophia to ever teach Douglass again. Although his mistress never sought to teach Douglass again, he finally understood the pathway to freedom (Douglass 29). With the help of Sophia Auld, it commenced a journey to literacy. In addition, Douglass began reading books and discovered the word “abolitionist.” This influenced Douglass to escape slavery and advocate for abolition.
Douglass is one of the foremost figures in American history because of his impact through his speeches and inspiration. Douglass became the first male to diligently participate in the Seneca Falls Convention. The Seneca Falls Convention was a meeting that instituted hope that women will be given the same rights as men. During his participation, Douglass became one of thirty men to sign the Declaration of Sentiments which hoped to gain civil and social rights for women (Frederick Douglass). Furthermore, this unveiled Douglass’s devotion to women’s suffrage.
Douglass helped establish many goals of the abolitionist movement. After his escape at age 20, he soon “established himself in the anti-slavery movement” (American Slavery). Douglass also published a newspaper called the North Star with the help of The Women’s Association of Philadelphia. The North Star solely became one of the most influential anti-slavery publications. The motto of the North Star was “Right is Of No Sex. Truth is Of No Color.” Moreover, it helped raise abolishing slavery, and also helped the women’s rights movement. Despite that Douglass was a slave, his oratory was so profound, that his speeches were so powerful. Douglass’s speeches “often pointed out the hypocrisy of the fact that the same patriotic Americans who fought for liberty and freedom could enslave an entire people.” (“Major Events in” ). His contribution as a conductor for the Underground Railroad furthered the cause of the abolitionists (“Douglass, Frederick”).
During the duration of his life, he also published three autobiographies, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, My Bondage and My Freedom, and Life and Times of Frederick Douglass.
A prominent figure associated with Frederick Douglass was Abraham Lincoln. Douglass disputed with Abraham Lincoln about many things such as black soldiers receiving half the pay as white soldiers (American Slavery). During the time of the Civil War, “tensions over slavery erupted” (“Frederick Douglass and”). At this time, Douglass was a consultant to Abraham Lincoln. Douglass persuaded Lincoln that the abolition of slavery should be the aspiration of the war ( “Douglass’s Role in”). The outcome of the Civil War was the Emancipation Proclamation which “granted freedom to the slaves in the Confederate States if the States did not return to the Union by January 1, 1863 (“Emancipation”). After many years of hard work, Frederick Douglass later died on February 20, 1895, in Washington D.C. due to a heart attack.
Frederick Douglass is remembered in history for helping strengthen diversity in America. Today, he is commemorated for being a prominent figure in the abolitionist movement. In addition, he is acknowledged as the “Father of the Civil Rights Movement”. There are many monuments dedicated to Douglass. One of the statutes is localized in Highland Park in New York. It is an eight-foot-tall bronze statue that was first located in front of a New York Central Train Station. This monument was first built in 1899 by the sculptor Stanley Edward. Another statue of Douglass stands at either entrance to the New York Historical Society.
It has been a century since Frederick Douglass became one of the greatest influencers of his time. Douglass endeavored his time in fueling the abolitionist movement in America. Not only did Douglass fight for African Americans’ suffrage, but also for women’s. Douglass changed America in regard to civil rights and social oppression. He is without a doubt, a monumental figure in America’s history.
Knowledge was always a key to life. A lot of time is spent to educate people, for good reason too since it is what keeps the economy stable. It gives people a mentality that lets them to think for themselves. And of course, knowledge helped to gain freedom. From slavery, to women’s rights, it is the main reason how we got to the world as we know it. Knowledge gave a chance to evolve as people and as a society. Without it, we would still be in a time of sticks and fires.
There are many different freedoms in the our course of history that had happened in this world. Most of which us as humans did not understand until many years of depriving it. Not until the people who were being deprived of their rights gained a little bit of knowledge did they start to rebel. For example, Frederick Douglass’s biography expresses the hardships he had to go through when he was just a small child as a slave. He was treated as is he were just property of a white man. And, like property, they were kept in the dark from any type of basic information. Slaves don’t even know their own date of birth. Not knowing how old they are, they were treated the same as farm animals. Slaves were not allowed to read or write, nor are they allowed to be taught. But when a woman, who tried to teach Frederick Douglass how to read or write, was scolded, Frederick Douglass overhears something. He came to find that if slaves had knowledge, they would be uncontrollable and start to become rebellious. Despite what he heard, he conrinued to learn how to read and write, eventually becoming a great leader, and becoming a symbol for the abolitionist movement.
Frederick Douglass worked as hard as he could when he was child. He and many others were fed as if they were pigs, whithes giving them what is called “mush”. They were given a linen shirt that only reached to their knees. Many slaves didn’t dare to risk escaping, since there are severe punishments. Frederick witnessed a punishment for a slve named Demby. The slave rebelled against his orders so the slave-holder had “ no choice” but to shoot where he stood. The gave Frederick Douglass a little perspective of why the other slave didn’t try to run. Using violence, the whites kept slave from even thinking about trying to escape. And the slaves knew that either they or someone they care about would die.
Whites always knew that if the African Americans knew half the stuff that whites knew, then there would be no slaves. There wouldn’t be anyone that whites can put to work to do their dirty work. But as soon as Frederick Douglass knew the alphabet, it led to the abolitionist movement. It created an effort to help slaves gain the rights that they should have gotten since the beginning. It show how no matter how little of education you have, it can have a major impact in both today’s world or in history.
Did you know that some researchers have charged that the WPA interviewers edited out parts they found unimportant, but were critical to the enslaved person: religion, cruel plantation owners, lynching’s, runaways, punishment and stories about serving in the Union Army. The formerly enslaved were more open and honest when the interviewer recording their stories was African-American. However, WPA only hired a few. In addition, if the interviewer was a white woman, they were apt to be more open than with a white man. The detailed autobiography inspired the abolition of slavery and its author would become one of the 19th century’s most prominent African Americans. Frederick Douglass was one of his time’s most prominent thinkers, advising leaders and lecturing thousands on a variety of causes, including women’s rights and Irish home rule. When writing his autobiography, the intention of Frederick Douglass was not only to show how slavery degraded slaves, but also to show how the institution of slavery degraded slave masters. Harriet Jacobs’ narrative bears rare testimony to the female experience of slavery, emphasizes the threat of sexual exploitation and directly appeals to women. She was well known for enhancing the lives of freed slaves, primarily through her fervent commitment to establishing education and free slave labor opportunities. Before the start of the Civil War, Harriet was actively involved with the abolition movement. She raised money for black refugees. This was her purpose in life. A comparison of the slave narratives of Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs reveals similarities and differences in (content, structure, tone, style, audience, purpose, events, etc.)
First, there are similarities and differences in these narratives. One of the similarities is both mentioned the importance of being educated as far as learning how to read and write. Frederick Douglass believed that everyone was created in the same way. But he also believed that we were not only born free: we must become who we are. So he is incredibly important for education and self-improvement. The worst thing about slavery, he believes, is that through education it prevents people from improving themselves. In reality, he argues that things are completely opposite to slavery and training. By reading, he works to become independent by widening his horizons. Of course, he still has to flee physically, but it’s his education that gives him the willpower to make it happen. Harriet Jacobs pain became her inspiration and voice for the freed slaves to fight slavery, promote education and civil rights. She fought for academic institutions and got them. Another common quality is both narratives show abuse at the hands of slaveholders, the risks of trying to escape. In the early chapters of An American Slave, highlight the status of slaves over his individual experience and the nature of slavery. ‘I didn’t have a bed,’ he wrote. ‘[I’d] sleep on the cold, humid, clay floor with my head in [the corn bag] and my feet out’ This shows how Douglass was treated while as a slave. Also in his 1845 narrative, Douglass does not provide the full details of his escape, for he fears that this information will be useful to slave owners seeking to thwart or recapture future runaways. This shows how scared he First, there are similarities and differences in these narratives. One of the similarities is both mentioned the importance of being educated as far as learning how to read and write. Frederick Douglass believed that everyone was created in the same way. But he also believed that we were not only born free: we must become who we are. So he is incredibly important for education and self-improvement. The worst thing about slavery, he believes, is that through education it prevents people from improving themselves. In reality, he argues that things are completely opposite to slavery and training. By reading, he works to become independent by widening his horizons. Of course, he still has to flee physically, but it’s his education that gives him the willpower to make it happen. Harriet Jacobs pain became her inspiration and voice for the freed slaves to fight slavery, promote education and civil rights. She fought for academic institutions and got them. Another common quality is both narratives show abuse at the hands of slaveholders, the risks of trying to escape. In the early chapters of An American Slave, highlight the status of slaves over his individual experience and the nature of slavery. ‘I didn’t have a bed,’ he wrote. ‘[I’d] sleep on the cold, humid, clay floor with my head in [the corn bag] and my feet out’ This shows how Douglass was treated while as a slave. Also in his 1845 narrative, Douglass does not provide the full details of his escape, for he fears that this information will be useful to slave owners seeking to thwart or recapture future runaways. This shows how scared he was of not only his owner but also all slave owners. Harriet was sexually harassed and physically abused when she was a teen for as long as she was a servant in Dr.Flint’s household. This shows what she had to endure while a slave for Flint. Also, most of the time when slaves tried to escape and later were caught, they were whipped, shackled, hanged, pounded, burned, mutilated, branded, raped, and incarcerated as a punishment. In spite of these common aspects, these slave narratives also differ in many ways. One difference is their genders. This may be obvious and it is but it plays a big part in the different ways they were treated. Frederick Douglass was a strong male, so he had to do more labor intensive work unlike Harriet Jacobs. Also the way they were treated and punished was different because of their genders. Jacobs was punished with sexual harassment and was threatened. Frederick Douglass was caught once for trying to escape and he was sent to jail, but because of his friends, he was able to get out. Another way the narratives differ is that that Jacobs perceives slavery differently than Douglass. Jacobs wants to protect her children from slavery, this is the main reason why she wants things to change. She sees the situation through a mother’s eye unlike Douglass, who had no children at the time. Douglass wanted freedom for all the slaves and not just him or his family. These similarities and differences in the narratives emphasize the unique, yet shared experiences of Douglass and Jacobs.
Further comparison of these two slave narratives also reveals similarities and differences of the emotions they had in their writings. Both writers have hatred of the harsh- treatment slaves had to endure. Douglass and Jacobs were both born into slavery so they had no say in what they wanted to do. Because of this they were bought by terrible families which mad Douglass want to kill himself and made Jacobs have children with another white man just so that her current owner would maybe sell her off. Although the narratives are similar in this way, their points of view also differ. Douglass wrote as a male slave and the brutality, while Jacobs wrote it in a woman point of view and gave us a look at how the women that were slaves experienced life. Jacobs wanted to protect her children because of her motherly instincts but Douglass wanted to run away just so that he could survive. As you can see, a comparison of the emotions and points of view of these narratives includes common and distinctive features.
Another feature of both of these narratives is their style. The style of both narratives is very similar. Both narratives have distinguishing characteristics such as forthright style; vivid characters; and striking dramatic incidents, particularly graphic violence and daring escapes. In addition to these common characteristics, the narratives also differ in the way the narratives were published. Harriet was on the fence about releasing her story, but Douglass released more than one version of his story. This feature highlights the variation in confidence between both authors.
In conclusion, a comparison of the slave narratives of Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs shows similarities and differences in style, beliefs, and points of view. Even though both authors had the odds stacked against them, they rose to the top. They both were, and still are influential and still make an impact on today’s society. So even though the WPA might have not put in some crucial parts into the narrative, the book was still successful.