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The Fourth Of July Fourth For The Negro Analysis

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The Abolishment of Slavery: Essay
The emancipation proclamation, “The Meaning of July Fourth for a Negro” and the spiritual songs of slavery: Swing Low, Sweet Chariot are strong topics because they all show different prospective of slavery and how they are claiming freedom. The emancipation proclamation tell the everyone the plan for the future in ending slavery and how Abraham Lincoln is going to enforce this document on the southern states this document has the same message as the speech of “The Meaning of July Fourth for a Negro” this speech gives reasons why Fredrick Douglas is concerned about the definition of freedom and this is show they are alike. The spiritual songs of slavery: Swing Low; Sweet Chariot has a much different viewpoint …show more content…

They all show different way on how they feel why slavery is wrong for example The Meaning of Fourth of July for the Negro Fredrick Douglas states that “also the documents have a different historical impact each document explains the concern of slavery but they have a bigger idea to it. In the speech about “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro” the impact that it has is it gets people aware of the problem of having the fourth of July and being free when there still slavery Fredrick say in his speech that” 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.” But in the slave song Swing Low, Sweet Chariot had a different impact it had on the abolishment of slavery the songs did not have a direct effect on the abolishment of slavery but a message to the north to help runaway slave get to the north and freedom. This quote explains there paths to freedom in hidden messages “There was a band of angels a comin ' after me Comin ' for to carry me home”. The Emancipation Proclamation is much different from the speech and the slave songs in a way the document was the main purpose of ending slavery and rejoining the union it is stated in the document that “people whereof shall then be rebellion against the united states, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free”. This quote is important to the history of the nation because Abraham Lincoln is stating that in all confederate states that all slaves are free forever. Also this is where history will change

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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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Throughout Douglass's speech, he exceeds expectations by adding excellent examples of ethos, pathos, and unique tone. These examples help the audience see his viewpoints and helps him connect with them. The literary devices used in his speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”, aided in his fight against

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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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Try as one may, it is hard to convince blacks that the national anthem was written with them in mind. Francis Scott Key’s nearness to slavery, and his limited view of freedom and equality, makes it impossible to separate him from his own distasteful words. While the national anthem celebrates the victory of America over the British and is patriotic in that sense, the 3rd stanza serves as a reminder of the ugly legacy of black slavery. It forces blacks to raise the age old question: Am I truly free? Is America the land of the free?

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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.

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