Inspiration Of Frederick Douglass

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Frederick Douglass will forever remain one of the most important figures in America’s struggle for civil rights and racial equality. His influences can be seen in the politicas and writing of all major African-American writers. Douglass, however, is an inspiration to more than just African Americans. The great civil rights activist Frederick Douglass was born into slavery on a Maryland Eastern Shore plantation in February 1818. His given name, Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, seemed to portend an unusual life for this son of a field hand and a white man, most likely Douglass's first master, Captain Aaron Anthony. Possibly Harriet Bailey gave her son such a distinguished name in hope that his life would be better than hers. She could …show more content…

This separation ensured that Douglass did not develop familial feelings towards his mother. Douglass presents large parts of his Narrative to demonstrating how a slave is “made,” beginning at birth. In Douglass’s time it may have seemed natural for blacks to be kept as slaves. Douglass explains the meaning by which slave owners distort social bonds and the natural processes of life in order to turn men into slaves. From the passage Excerpts From “Civil Disobedience” by Henry David Thoreau it says “The government itself that the remedy is worse than the evil.” [Henry David Thoreau] Henry is saying that the people are starting to resist the remedy. If the people resist the remedy would be worse than evil and it is the government's fault. In the passage Maintaining a Positive Direction for the Chicano Movement there is a question asked which is “ Can we say that we are willing to protect our children, not only those at home, but those on the street, in projects, and in the barrois?” This question related to Frederick Douglass’s book because so many black parents are wondering if they will be able to protect their children from the white people. Many female black slaves raped by their owners and most fall pregnant. The owner still beats the child when he is of age even though he is have his. That is what happened to Frederick Douglass, his father was known to be his first owner. His father would still treat him like all the other slaves. He would get beaten if he was disrespectful or did not listen just like all the other