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Frederick Douglass's Goals

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The speech from What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July? was presented by Frederick Douglass and was addressed to the Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society on July 5th of 1852 in Rochester, New York. Frederick Douglass was a man who was born into slavery in Maryland but, eventually he escaped to Massachusetts at the age of twenty one. The goals of his speeches were for the United States to have equality and the abolishment of slavery among all of it’s people. His goal of equality in current time have not been fully achieved by the United States as a whole.
The goals that he addressed in his speeches of people treating everyone equally was a very radical topic to be spoken about, especially since he was a man who had escaped slavery and was now living …show more content…

After fighting and standing up as an abolitionist the slaves had become free in the 1860s. This was the beginning of the long struggle for the now free slaves that he fought for. This was one of a few major outcome of the radical fight that Frederick Douglass was once a part of. While this is truly shows some acceptance by the United States there is still a prevalent issue that continues to be seen even in now which would be racism. Doug Stafford the writer of Racism Never Died in Virginia writes about how racism still exists even though Americans decide to dismiss it. Stafford states “My daughter, who is five years old, is black. Last month, some coward in a truck driving quickly by us not far from our home screamed ‘nigger’ at her.” Basically, Stafford is proving that there are Americans that still are continuing the tradition of racism that has been within America’s history.
All in all, the goal and idea of equality in the United States by Frederick Douglass had not been achieved. Douglass was one of the well known figures of his time to be fighting for abolition and the idea of equality which were presented in his speeches. As time continued on the United States had improved, but the teachings and practices of racism can be seen in the current society of America. Hopefully the goals of Douglass will finally become completely true in the near

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Frederick Douglass, born a slave and later the most influential African American leader of the 1800s, addresses the hypocrisy of the US of maintaining slavery with its upheld ideals being freedom and independence on July 4th, 1852. Douglass builds his argument by using surprising contrasts, plain facts, and provocative antithesis. Introducing his subject, Douglass reminds his audience about the dark side of America for slaves, in sharp, surprising contrasts with the apparent progressivity within the nation. He first notices “the disparity,” that “the sunlight that brought life and healing to you, has brought stripes and deaths to me,” as an African-American former slave. It is surprising for the audience to hear that the Sun does not bring him any prosperity, that the Sun, the source of life on earth, brings him destruction.

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He also struggled for stopping the racial violation and helped the fleeing slaves to escape. One of the main point of Douglass’s speech was slavery should be stopped. And he also argued that what’s the point of celebrating Fourth July if the term liberty doesn’t apply equally for all? He also exhibited that a slave is also a human being like others. If white people have the right to utilize all the rights and facilities as a citizen, on the whole as a human, why will the black people lead a life as sub human?

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What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July Essay

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Freedom is the primary ideal upon which America was founded. It is the tenet most cherished by the original colonists; it is a pillar upon which they built the new government. However, freedom was denied to a large part of America's citizens for a long time. Frederick Douglas was one of the greatest activists for African-American freedom of the 19th century; he used literary works and speeches, instead of violence, to achieve his goals. In his piece "What, to the Slave, is the Fourth of July?"

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The legendary abolitionist and orator Frederick Douglass was one of the most important social reformers of the nineteenth century. Being born into slavery on a Maryland Eastern Shore plantation to his mother, Harriet Bailey, and a white man, most likely Douglass’s first master was the starting point of his rise against the enslavement of African-Americans. Nearly 200 years after Douglass’s birth and 122 years after his death, The social activist’s name and accomplishments continue to inspire the progression of African-American youth in modern society. Through his ability to overcome obstacles, his strive for a better life through education, and his success despite humble beginnings, Frederick Douglass’s aspirations stretched his influence through

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1574 Words | 7 Pages

Douglass’s position differ from those who supported slavery is that people who supported slavery, they thought it was a natural thing to do because on the Document “ Slavery a positive Good” on paragraph 1 it says, “ To maintain the existing relations between two races, inhabiting that section of the Union, is indispensable to the peace and happiness of both…. But let me not be understood as admitting, even by implication, that the existing relations between two races in the slaveholding states is an evil: - far otherwise; I hold to be good, as it has thus far proved itself both, and will continue to prove so if not disturbed by the fell spirit of abolition.” What this piece of evidence is saying is that slavery is a good thing and not a bad thing and that abolition should stop. Another way that Frederick Douglass’s position is different from people that support is that people who support slavery is that the people who support slavery has a different perspective of what is right and what is wrong because on the Document “ Slavery a Positive Good” paragraph 2 it says,” I hold in the present state of civilization, where two races of different origin, and distinguished by color, and other physical differences, as well as intellectual, are brought together, the relation now existing in the slaveholding States between the two is, instead of an evil, a good- a positive good… I hold then, that

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Frederick Douglass was a great writer, but he wasn’t always. He was an escaped slave who used that in his speeches as a topic to gain the attention of his audience. His audience was a seemingly sympathetic one and got to them through rhetorical questions. Douglass wanted to convey the message that there are many changes that need to be made.

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