Essays on Frederick Douglas

Before the onset of the American civil war, the issue of slavery and racial treatment of African –Americans and other non-White or Native Americans was at its long time high. However, not many people during this time were aware of the plight of the African Black Americans during this time. It is due to this that Frederick Douglas wrote a narrative describing his experience as an American slave. The thesis of this paper is that Frederick Douglas’ narrative about slavery and the subsequent events that led to the American civil war represent important events in the American history. This ...

What is the Fourth of July to slaves?

Introduction “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” is a famous speech given by an African American slave fugitive at the time by the name Frederick Douglas, which was delivered on the Fifth of July, the day after the day of independence, in 1852. The speech highlighted the plight of the African Americans who were discriminated by the white population. The speech describes the Fourth of July as a paradox since the independence given to the African Americans was paradoxical. To the African American, the fourth of July was a day when the White continued to enjoy ...

Introduction

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas was written by Douglas, not only as a means to recount his story, but in order to raise awareness about the predicament of the people who suffered from slavery. It was his belief that through his works, people will have a better understanding of the slavery and the need for its complete abolition. Douglas thought that, being a former slave himself, he was in the best position to tell the truth about slavery. Accordingly, the author provided some arguments in his books, a) he argued that slaves must be allowed to ...

Racism and class struggles are common challenges that black face in the society. The history of the African-Americans in the United States has been built on the slave trade and the lack of rights for the black race trying to survive in a white dominated society. Although many civil rights groups in the past have fought for equality among the blacks and the whites, the blacks, such as the current President of the country, continue to fight against the racial discrimination in the society. Espada’s “Litany at the Tomb of Frederick Douglas” and Blake’s “The Little Black ...

Espada stresses the value of hope in life. From close analysis of the poem one can see that it is placed in context with the election of a new president of the United States of America. This candidate is peculiar in certain way. The president is the first African American to hold such a prestigious position since independence. Furthermore Espada pays homage to yet another peculiar figure called Frederick Douglas. From what can be inferred from the text is that Douglas was also an African American, though he lived many years before Obama was born. These are two icons ...

“Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave” is a memoir of Frederick Douglas. Douglas was an African American who born as a slave and spent his early life in slavery. Douglas, in his memoir, describes his own life, experiences, sufferings and life of other slaves in a very realistic manner. This narrative was published in 1845 and has been revised several times due to its popularity. This paper proposes to discuss Frederick Douglass and analyses his memoir and several other related aspects. Frederick Douglas talks about his date of birth and about his parents in First chapter of ...

Afro-American History to 1877

“The Radical and the Republican: Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, and the Triumph of Antislavery Politics” is a well written book by James Oakes. James Oakes in his book suggests that both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas fought slavery and stood up for the causes of slaves but they had different ways of fighting against slavery. The author presents thorough details of their working and ideas in his book. Oakes recognizes both of these leaders as reformers but portrays both of these leaders in different perspectives. This paper intends to discuss contributions of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas and how their ...

BOOK REVIEW: THE RADICAL AND THE REPUBLICAN BY JAMES OAKES

The Radical and the Republican is one of the books that I would love to read again and again. This book discussed the type of politics as well as the attitudes of the American Presidents Abraham Lincoln and the Black American Reformer Frederick Douglas about the issue of freeing the slaves and slavery itself. Accordingly, the author of the book, James Oakes, went into a great detail of discussing the reasons as well as the politics on the two aforementioned personalities' stand on slavery. He also focused on the difference between the perspectives of the two personalities. Oakes noted that ...

Rhetorical Analysis: Douglass Frederick. “What the Black Man Wants.

Introduction

Frederick Douglas was an extraordinary person, who “escaped slavery, and was a leading abolitionist, orator and newspaper publisher, diplomat and advisor to presidents.” That made him not only one of the greatest voices against oppression, but also relentless advocate of human right, be it women, black, immigrants or Native Americans. In April 1865, to express his support for black people’s efforts to seek same privileges as others, he gave a remarkable speech at the annual meeting of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society in Boston. This speech was against the background of ...

Even if a young person looks at his or her own personal family history and genealogy, he or she will find that the lives of their ancestors and their own personal lives are entwined in the history, black history, of America. African American history is rich and expansive. The American black has contributory history, history in plight as well as in triumph and success. There is more to be discovered in the annals of black history than one could fit into eight pages. Thus, this paper will highlight short bursts of contribution, plight and triumph in each era important to ...

FREDERICK DOUGLASS WROTE “WHEN THE TRUE HISTORY OF THE ANTI-SLAVERY CAUSE SHALL BE WRITTEN WOMEN WILL OCCUPY A LARGE SPACE IN ITS PAGES”

Frederick Douglass wrote “When the true history of the anti-slavery cause shall be written women will occupy a large space in its pages”

At a time when the white male was considered superior to everyone else in society, such women as Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Sarah Parker Remond, the Grimke Sisters among others took it upon themselves to fight for the emancipation of slaves. They got involved in the abolitionist movement in a period when people regarded the domestic ...

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas

Since the colonization period when British farmers had plantations on the American soil, slavery and slave trade were common phenomena. After America gained its independence, philanthropic movements arose which aimed at bringing an end to this vice that seemed to be so deeply rooted in the American community at the time. Looking back in those days, it can be agreed that fellow humans were treated like animals just because of the color of their skin. Their intelligence and resourcefulness were neglected as they were relegated to statuses equal to that of pack-animals, regarded to as property and even treated ...