ipl-logo

Meaning Of July Fourth For The Negro By Frederick Douglass

535 Words3 Pages

The former president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, once said “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”. To change the world people often use physical violence. However, even if they solve the problem, it is only for a short period of time. Using education, people can back up their statements and actions. In this quote, education can mean many different things, such as being intelligent, logical, having a strong mental, and being calm. This can solve the problem peacefully, which is much more powerful than the deadliest weapons. This quote is related to Frederick Douglass speech during slavery times, Harrison Bergeron’s society, and the way I talk to certain individuals. To start off with, Frederick Douglass’s speech, “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro” supports the thesis. For example, when Douglass was talking about the Fugitive slave law he mentioned that “…in tyrant-killing, king-hating, people-loving, democratic, Christian America, the seats of justice are filled with judges, who hold their offices under an open and palpable bribe”. This relates to the claim because with education, Douglass was able to present this …show more content…

For instance, when the author was introducing the story, he mentioned “And George, while his intelligence was way above normal, had a little mental handicap radio in his ear” (1). This supports the claim by telling the audience that Harrison’s society controls the intelligence level of their citizens. As mentioned in the introduction, being intelligent can also support education. If the citizens of Harrison’s society were to have freedom with their education, their society would be much more successful. With better technology (and etc.), and a less likelihood of a rebellion from citizens similar to Harrison. This can then impact and change Harrison Bergeron’s society

Show More
Related
828 Words | 4 Pages

Thomas Paine’s “The Crisis”, written during the revolution, possessed the goal of promoting inspiration to the soldiers, hoping to push them to make lemonade with the lemons they already possessed. While implementing some religious statements to cater to everyone’s beliefs, Paine emotionally invested into persuading the soldiers to also believe that they could win although the finish line seemed so far away. Paine promoted perseverance to the colonists and the soldiers, and in a similar way, Douglass promoted the freedom for slaves. In the speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”, written in the mid-nineteenth century, the speaker Frederick Douglass desperately advocated for and tried to persuade the predominately white audience that the slaves of America deserved to be completely free.

Read More
873 Words | 4 Pages

Although a century apart, Martin Luther King Jr’s Letter from Birmingham Jail and Frederick Douglass’s What to a Slave is the fourth of July are kindred spirits. Notwithstanding the many differences in their respective writing styles, deep down the essence of the message conveyed is still very much the same. Both Martin Luther King Junior and Frederick Douglas had similar beliefs and concepts related to the treatment of the African American community. They both describe a tough yet heart breaking situation that makes them question their moral values and doubt the system and its ability to change for better.

Read More
254 Words | 2 Pages

In the 1850’s slavery still hadn’t been abolished, slaves were not even allowed to celebrate the fourth of July and the fugitive slave act had just passed. The fugitive slave act allowed southern slaveholders to capture slaves who had escaped to the free states. This impacted the lives of many including Fredrick Douglas, a former slave. On July 5, 1852, Frederick Douglass was asked to address the people of Rochester, New York. This was the 76th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Read More
1350 Words | 6 Pages

To many, the Fourth of July was a day to celebrate the anniversary of the United States signing the Declaration of Independence in 1776. However, to others it was a day to realize the injustices and brutality that many people lived in. Frederick Douglass was not only an African American political activist, but also an extraordinary speaker who desired to abolish slavery. He addressed the problem of American slavery from a slave 's point of view throughout his notorious Independence Day Speech At Rochester when he said, “What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim.”

Read More
1157 Words | 5 Pages

Fredric Douglass wrote, “What to the Slave is Fourth of July” in 1852. In this speech to the American public, Douglass states how great of a country American “was” and how great the forefathers “were”. In contrast to those statements he professes his reasoning for freeing slaves. However, Mary Rowlandson wrote, “A True History of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson” in 1682. This captive narrative takes place during the King Philips war, and depicts how the native Americans treated their prisoners of war.

Read More
776 Words | 4 Pages

Honore de Balzac once wrote “Equality may perhaps be a right, but no power on earth can ever turn into a fact.” There will always be talk of equality but, equality is essentially impossible to achieve. The society from “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. and the society from “Is the U.S a land of liberty or equality?” by Robert J. Samuelson, both speak of equality and have fundamentally reached that main goal, but their aspects of equality are conflicting and are completely different. Both societies want equality, freedom, and liberty. Samuelson’s article from The Washington Post argues how the society of the United States must preserve freedom and promote equality.

Read More
609 Words | 3 Pages

II The book describes African Americans in the time period of slavery through civil war and civil rights revolution, to 1980s, after the segregation of the black race. The book mainly focus on the speech done by social activists of different time period. In addition of the reasons and different beliefs of those social activist had. Such as Frederick Douglass, who believe we can’t wait for somebody else to fight freedom for us.

Read More
1249 Words | 5 Pages

As a representative of slavery, Frederick Douglass in the speech, What To The American Slave Is Your 4th Of July?, denounces America’s disposition towards slavery, noting its emergence into a flagrantly hypocritical state. Douglass supports his denouncement by arguing that, to the African American slave, whether freed or not, the Fourth of July is merely reminiscent of the blatant injustice and cruelty they stand subject to every day. The author’s purpose is to declare that slaves are men as well, in order to slander the nation’s misconduct and unveil the great sin and shame of America: slavery. Douglass’s formal writing style addresses his audience of Americans who observe the holiday, as well as others interested in the topic of slavery and deception ー where America reigns.

Read More
1110 Words | 5 Pages

One of the strategies Douglass uses to convince his audience slavery should be abolished is by “calling out American hypocrisy in his Fourth of July oration” (Mercieca 1). He shames them with no remorse. He speaks on the opposite treatments that enable whites to live in a state of freedom and liberty, while the blacks are living in a state of bondage. As the audience listens, he reminds them, there are men, women and children still held hostages to the chains of

Read More
582 Words | 3 Pages

What to the Slave is the Fourth of July Introduction The 4th of July is an important day in American history it represents freedom and is usually associated with fireworks, parades, alcohol, and concerts. Those activities more or less represent today’s culture. When Fredrick Douglass made his speech he talked about American values such as liberty, citizenship, and freedom. The irony of this speech was that at the time white Americans in the south were still participating in slave trading.

Read More
1727 Words | 7 Pages

If people are not utilizing education, then the world will become even more corrupt than it already is. Douglass and Malala both utilized their knowledge to be able to explain why they believed that the lack of education should be changed before it was too late for them to be able to persuade others. Thus, education should become a necessity for

Read More
762 Words | 4 Pages

In Frederick Douglass’s The Meaning of Fourth of July for the Negro, he exposes the hypocrisy and iniquity that is infused into considerably one of the most prolific American moments in history known as The Fourth of July. Douglass, who was a former slave that eventually reached freedom, was invited to speak about what Fourth of July meant for the black population within America. Although Douglass provided much gratitude to the Founding Fathers for their courage and ability to oppose oppressive systems, he criticizes the American country for its involvement within slavery. Slavery served as the foundation that constructed America, allowing for it fuel the economy and develop into a cultural and political norm within society.

Read More
749 Words | 3 Pages

There has been a multitude of famous individuals that have changed the course of human history over the years. With their work being the source of inspiration of many to simply having a likeable, repeatable demeanor, there is no doubt that to be regarded in that special collective of individuals. One of the most famous civil rights leader that advocated for 13 years, Martin Luther King Jr., discertation called, “The Purpose of Education,” that brings awareness to the importance of education and its overall relevance in tepid year of 1947. Dr. King brings clarity to his opinion in the beginning of his paragraph stating, “It seems to me that education has a two-fold function to perform in the life of man and in society: the one is utility and

Read More
1124 Words | 5 Pages

Making a Difference in My Community What are your long-term personal and education goals? How has knowledge or awareness of your own culture and other cultures affected your understanding of yourself? What key experiences with your own and/or other cultures influenced your goals and your interactions with others? Please provide specific examples.

Read More
1202 Words | 5 Pages

Malcolm X once said “Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepared for it today.” In the western world education plays a vital role in shaping our future; it determines if we will survive or fail in the world we created for ourselves. Our world is constantly changing and it requires a society that is well versed in understanding the problems deriving from cultural differences and tolerance of one another’s beliefs and perceptions. With the power of education we are able to deal with the problems of economic, government, religion and culture differences.

Read More

More about Meaning Of July Fourth For The Negro By Frederick Douglass

Related Topics

Open Document