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Frederick Douglass And The Color Line Essay

1287 Words6 Pages

In the United States today, there is what W. E. B. DuBois called a “color line”. This line represents the lack of equality that many people today experience due to their race. This “line” should have been erased from American history in 1865, at the end of the Civil War. During the Civil War and Civil Right movement, abolitionists such as Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln stood on a national stage to speak against slavery and for the equality of all races in America. Somehow, however, the “color line” has remained just as heavily imprinted into American society today as it was earlier in history, just not as radically. Despite this, the road to racial equality has been gradually getting shorter. However, the goals of Frederick Douglass, …show more content…

He spoke powerfully about the evils of slavery that he himself witnessed while working as a slave in the South. Through his countless speeches and written works, his message of equality for all people became more and more apparent to those who listened to him. Douglass’s words helped people to better understand the urgency of their cause and the need to end slavery immediately. With Abraham Lincoln’s election in 1860 came another wave of abolitionist strength and motivation. Lincoln was, like Douglass, incredibly anti-slavery. However, Lincoln had initially planned on ignoring the issue of slavery in office and rather focusing on keeping the Union together. After a short time, it became apparent that he would have to face the issue head on. When the Civil War began in 1861, Lincoln remained on the side of the Union and became another powerful voice in the abolitionist movement as well as an advocate for keeping the Union …show more content…

It called for officials to choose three worthy applicants out of a federally designated list, but employers could choose people farther down the list if they could give reason for ignoring the three most eligible applicants (McClain, Paula D.). Although this seems as though it is fair, it allows for racial bias to come into play when hiring workers. Many people did use this law for that purpose as well. The Civil Rights movement even continued into the 1960’s, when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous “I Have A Dream” speech during the March on Washington. The actual march advocated for equal pay for equal work and freedom from the segregation that went on at the time. Dr. King’s speech focused in on how he and his fellow African Americans were simply judged based on their outward appearance and not on who they were on the

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During Abraham Lincoln’s presidency at the start of the 1860, an issue that had divided the nation was slavery. Lincoln’s election to presidency as a republic was not received well by the Southern slave states, as they thought that as a republican he was out to abolish slavery. In an effort to calm southern states and keep them from seceding from the United States, he attempts to ease them with his First Inaugural Address. In his First Inaugural Address his key points are to clam southern leaders of slave states, keep the states from seceding, and make them at ease as he enters presidency.

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The abolitionist movement of the 1800s includes many heroes. Each risked personal harm, got in trouble with the law, and even lost life for their good deeds. Each’s work influenced the world positively, and the contributions continue to live on today. Of these heroes, Fredrick Douglass is one of the most impactful, and in this essay, we will explore just how Fredrick Douglass changed the world. Douglass’s contributions to the abolitionist movement are numerous.

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Frederick Douglass gave an Insight on what a slave had to go through and how they lived (6). He was very influential in his speeches that he gave (3). He use his speeches to start an end to slavery (6). To this day he is one of the most intellectual leaders of his time period (3). Frederick Douglass was an American abolitionist in the transcendental movement (2).

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Douglass first publicly spoke out against slavery at the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society's annual convention in Nantucket, MA. In 1863, Douglass spoke to President Abraham Lincoln about the treatment of black soldiers, and he later spoke to President Andrew Johnson about black suffrage. Although President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, Douglass spoke about his disappointment because Lincoln did not publicly support suffrage for black freedman. Since Douglass had already formed a strong reputation for himself, he pushed even harder for change within the nation, using his success as his platform. After this, Douglass was appointed to serve in several government positions.

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“I didn't know I was a slave until I found out I couldn't do the things I wanted,” Frederick Douglass. Frederick Douglass an escaped slave gave his speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” to a group of White Americans to try to convince them to support abolitionism. Throughout his speech Frederick Douglass talks about the treatment of the slaves and how even though slaves are human they don’t get the same rights as Whites do. In his speech Douglass effectively uses his experiences to prove his credibility, evoke emotion from his audience, and uses logic and reasoning throughout his speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July.” First of in his speech Frederick Douglass starts off by asking rhetorical question about why he is here

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Most of his time was in the movement of the abolition of slavery. He did not want any other black person to face brutality, humiliation, and pain. His arguments became very useful in the anti-slavery movement. It is through his experiences of being a slave that he urged for the abolition of slavery (Douglass, 1845). Douglass’ style of narration makes the reader to be involved in the story emotionally.

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“The Hypocrisy of American Slavery: Slavery at its best” Frederick Douglass an activist for anti racism and also an abolitionist’s speech “The Hypocrisy of Slavery” was given on the occasion of celebrating the independence day. Here, in this speech he actually brought out some questions like why we should celebrate Independence Day while almost four million people were kept chained as a slave. He actually mocked the fact of the people of America’s double standards which is that they are singing out the song of liberty, on the other hand holding the chain of slavery. Frederick Douglass, a former American-African slave who managed to escape from his slavery and later on became an abolitionist gave this speech on Fourth of July,

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Rough Draft of Frederick Douglass paper Ratification of the Thirteen Amendment abolished the slavery throughout the United States. Abolitionist movement played a huge part in abolishing slavery to its core. Abolitionist like Frederick Douglass, WM. Lloyd Garrison and Wendell Phillips were part of the abolitionist movement; among these abolitionist Frederick Douglass stands out the most because he was born as a slave, he had experienced the slavery, and despite being a slave he taught himself how to read and write.

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The Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass shows the imbalance of power between slaves and their masters. In his book, Douglass proves that slavery is a destructive force not only to the slaves, but also for the slaveholders. “Poison of the irresponsible power” that masters have upon their slaves that are dehumanizing and shameless, have changed the masters themselves and their morality(Douglass 39). This amount of power and control in contact with one man breaks the kindest heart and the purest thoughts turning the person evil and corrupt. Douglass uses flashbacks that illustrate the emotions that declare the negative effects of slavery.

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Frederick Douglass was a slave that had learned a lot while growing up. He had learned that all slavery that was being committed was not right. While he was growing he had taught himself how to read in write but he also had a little help from the plantation where he was located at. In the book, Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass, he explains the hard times he had went through as a child and explains how they affected him and made him stronger.

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Frederick Douglass has gone down in history as being one of America’s most eloquent speakers. His oratory skills are still admired today and it was impossible for many to believe that this man was once a slave. As the son of a black slave woman and a rumored white man, Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in Maryland. Through his many literary works, Douglass explained the slave system and the harsh reality behind it. The atrocities, injustices and sheer cruelty which emanate from the baseness of human nature come to light in his autobiography.

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