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Frederick Douglass Patriotism Analysis

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In the journal by Bernard R. Boxill, "Frederick Douglass's Patriotism," Boxill guides readers through the transformation of Frederick Douglass from a man possessing no patriotism or country, to a man staking his position as a patriot within a country. Throughout the text, he presents the internal and external conflicts Frederick Douglass faces, "from claiming that he had no country... and gone on to claim that he had a country... claiming that he was not a patriot... to claim that he was a patriot... claiming that he did not love the U.S. he had gone on to claim that he did love the U.S.."(Boxill 303). Boxill ponders "what had provoked these metamorphoses," (Boxill, 303) and depicts the dramatic change in Frederick Douglass' worldview. Boxill first discusses Douglass's interactions, with the …show more content…

Boxill disputes the idea that the Constitution does not observe Frederick Douglass as a human being by stating, "Constitutions can fail to recognize the truth" (Boxill 308) that a slave is not a human being. Boxill further explains, "As we have seen, patriots often vigorously criticize the political systems of their country... patriotism cannot necessarily involve, though of course it may involve, love of the political system of one's country" (Boxill 309-10). Boxill reaches the conclusion that Frederick Douglass contrives his patriotism and love of the United States from the ideas that promoted liberty, and to end the ideas that limit the rights of men. Douglass is compelled by the fact that, "three million people, who identified with him by their complexion, remained in slavery" (Boxill 315). Boxill further describes the roots that he has sown in the United States; Douglass shows his connection to the land and how he feels about the land in which he was born; revealing that Frederick Douglass, is a patriot who loves his

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