...Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of an American Slave, Written by himself. New York: Blight, 2003. Frederick Douglass was known as the most important African American leader and intellectual in the 19th century. He became a major figure in the crusade for abolition, the drama of emancipation and the effort to give meaning to black freedom during reconstruction. He tells stories about the 20 years of living the life as slave to his amazing and courageous escape. Douglass portrayed the core meaning of slavery, for both individuals and of the nation in his narrative. His multiple meanings of freedom as an idea and reality of mind and body and of the consequences of its denial were his themes in the book. The narrative also uncovers Douglass’s symbolic strategies in moral and economic slavery, the master-slave relationship, the psychology of slaveholder, the aims and arguments of abolitionists and the impending political crisis between North and South. He believed in equal rights as throughout his narrative dreamed of being free and wondered why slaves where treated the way they were. Born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey in Tuckahoe, Maryland. He never new his exact age as there was never any record of his birth. Not knowing this information made him realize early on that there was a difference and unfairness in equality as he commented on he never met a slave in his life who could tell when their birthday was or how old they were. He continued saying...
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...Frederick Douglass: Activist, Orator, Publisher, Statesman was first published in the January-March 2007 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine. From reading this article you can sense Douglass willingness for change. The experiences he encountered as a slave would be unbelievable to many. This article explains all most everything about his life as a slave. It takes you to a pathway from slavery to freedom. In other words, it guides you through a timeline of his life. The article states the fact that he was separated from his mom right after birth. Around seven years old, he was sent to work in Baltimore as a houseboy. The wife of the household, Mrs. Auld, taught him alphabets until her husband demanded her to no longer do so. He then got help from friends and taught himself how to read and write. Once he became a teenager, he had to experience life as a plantation slave. Through the brutal living as a slave, he found a way to fight back. After escaping to freedom, he had to carry fake identification papers showing that he was a free man. Later he married Anna Murray and got the surname Douglass to protect himself as a fugitive slave. He published abolitionist newspapers, traveled, challenged racist laws and Free states, and aided Underground Railroad efforts. Although Frederick Douglass faced many challenges, he still managed to get slavery abolished nationwide. To sum it up, Douglass stood to be a very powerful man. Regardless of his background in life, he still accomplished...
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...March 16, 2014 English 104 Frederick Douglass Article Analysis In the reading by Frederick Douglass, Learning to Read, he talks about how he learned how to read. He grew up in Maryland and he talks about how his mistress, his slave owners’ wife, taught him the alphabet and how to read. Eventually she stopped, due to him being a slave he wasn’t suppose to know how to read, and Douglass had to continue to learn how to read by himself. One thing Frederick Douglass could have done was to put some details about his family. He never mentioned his mom, dad, siblings or if he had any. If he did it would have interesting to know what they did or felt about him learning to read and write. It would have also been interesting to know if his mom, dad, and siblings were also being taught by the mistress to read as well. If his family wasn’t in the same household with him then he could have elaborated on their whereabouts or just said something about his family would have been good. In this article Frederick Douglass states that “making friends of all the little white boys, I converted them into teachers,” meaning that the little white boys he met he used them to help him read. Douglass could have went into more details about exactly what did the little white boys do that he consider them his “teachers” and how did they do their teachings to him. In the article he just briefly discussed this issue and didn’t get into many details. He did give good details when describing...
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...The Mind of Frederick Douglass, by Waldo E. Martin, Jr. Introduction The book I chose to read is entitled, The Mind of Frederick Douglass. This particular book involved many different aspects of Fredericks’s minds setting. Frederick Douglass a born slave who was trying to shape his life into becoming a leader for black people. Frederick Douglass was an “intellectual activist” that was focused on many issues. To name a few, he focused on race, humanism, feminism and “self-made man”. Overview Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey was born in the month of February in the year of 1818. Unlike white people, some black people had to haunt for their birthdays all their life. This became a problem to Frederick all his life. His mother was a slave by the name of Harriet Bailey. Frederick was not aware of his father identity until, he “subsequent discovered that his master Aaron Anthony was a possible candidate. Frederick lived on the plantation of the “white master father” Aaron Anthony, the general superintendent. Along with his family, expect for his mother, who lived about twenty miles up the road. His “white master father,” served for one richest largest slaveholder in the Maryland at the time name Colonel Edward Lloyd. Frederick relationship with his father was not close at all. His “white master father,” would completely ignore him at times and this would make Frederick feel very hurt (Martin, 1984). Frederick remembers being mistreated by his master...
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...Frederick Douglass - The man On an unknown date in 1817, on a slave plantation in Tuckahoe Maryland, Frederick August Washington Bailey was born. Frederick was raised in a house on the plantation with all the other slave children. At the age of seven, like many other slaves, Frederick was put to work in the fields. As a young child he would wonder why he was a slave, and why everyone can't be equal. His thoughts frequently came back to him, leaving him with a great hatred for slavery. In 1836, Frederick had finally had enough of his imprisonment, and attempted an escape with many other slaves. The escape was not successful, Frederick and the other slaves were sent to work in a shipyard hauling crates. Frederick worked the shipyard for two years until he had another great escape idea, this one would work though. The sailing papers of a sailor had been borrowed, and disguised as a sailor, Frederick Douglass made his escape to New Bedford, Massachusetts. Upon his arrival, Frederick took up his new assumed last name Douglass, to escape being captured. In 1841, Frederick attended an anti-slavery convention in Nantucket Massachusetts. Here, his impromptu speech he gave showed him to be a great speaker. The opponents of Frederick believed that he was never a slave, because of his great speaking skills and knowledge. In response to this, Frederick wrote his life story in his book _Life and Times of Frederick Douglass_. Frederick made a fatal mistake though, he had...
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...Slavery was a universal culture in the 19th century. It was common and deemed necessary. Slaves were looked upon as having no more importance than cattle and swine. Slaves were not thought of as human beings, they were objects of possession. It did not matter if one thought it was right or wrong. It was a way of life, an ugly truth that framed an important part of history forever. Frederick Douglass was one of the most important leaders of the slave abolitionist movement and fought to end slavery in the United States during the 19th Century. As evidenced in his text, Douglas had a passion for what he believed in. Even as a young man, he knew he was missing something in his life. Douglas had more insight at ten years old than some have throughout a lifetime. Learning to read and write allowed Douglas to unravel a powerful message to the black community of his time. Slaves learning to read and write in the 19th Century was not only illegal, it was immoral. Slaves were to be kept dumb and simple so that they could be molded into what their owners wanted from them. Mrs. Auld was a powerful tool in Douglas’s life. Douglas had saw the good in a white person for the first time in his life. Douglas referenced Mrs. Ault by saying “Her face was made of heavenly smiles, and her voice of tranquil music.” The kindness that Mrs. Ault showed Douglas as a young boy would open his heart and allow him to gain the other important tools he would need to become free. Mr. Auld’s belief was...
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...Frederick Douglass During a time of war leading to reconstruction of the United States of America there were few that had such passion to speak out against slavery to set forth laws of quality. An escaped slave, Frederick Douglass, went against current times with the possibility of being apprehended and executed became an abolitionist. Despite the fact that he was an ex-slave, he taught himself how to read and became a man of many words. His passions led him to prove society wrong, with the notion that slaves would not gain enough intelligence to become an independent member of society. He did the unthinkable; he spoke with great intellect as a modern leader of African Americans at many public affairs. In doing so, he paved the way for other great African American abolitionist leaders such as W.E.B Dubois. He was a man with many different endeavors. Frederick Douglass also published an auto biography that was the most widely published work in African American literature. Lastly, his political position was also a great example for other great African American politicians to come. Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey was a slave but changed his name to Frederick Douglass after he escaped successfully from his slave owner. Born and raised in Tuckahoe, Talbot County, Maryland at Holme Hill Farm. His mother was also a slave and her name was Harriet Bailey. As for his father, he did not know exactly who he was; however, it was believed to be a white man, his master...
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...Frederick Douglass was born in slavery as Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey in new Easton in Talbot County, Maryland. He was not sure of the exact year of his birth, but he knew that it was 1817 or 1818. His mom died when he was about seven years old, and he doesn't remember much about her. All he knew about his father was that he was a white man, but many people thought his master was his father. Douglass was such an impressive speaker that many people doubted if he had ever been a slave. To prove to all, Fredrick Douglass wrote the "Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass, An American Salve." This story took place from 1818 to 1841. The setting was in a number of places, from Maryland, Baltimore, New York City, and New Bedford, Massachusetts. Being a slave resulted in always getting moved from slave owner to slave owner. Throughout this book, Frederick Douglass has demonstrated his struggles to free himself, emotionally and physically from slavery. Around age ten or eleven, Fredrick Douglass was sent to live in Baltimore with Hugh and Sophia Auld. During his time with the Aulds, Douglass learns how to read and write. When Mr. Auld found out that his wife was teaching him how to read, he made her stop. Douglass then overhears a conversation that Mr. Auld is having with his wife, about how white mans power over blacks is to keep them uneducated. Douglass is now determined that he has to educate himself and escape from slavery. Soon after hearing this, Fredrick Douglass...
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...Crystal Ochoa HST 17A Frederick Douglass Paper 12/4/2014 No one could truly understand what it means to be a slave unless they have witnessed it first hand. Frederick Douglass did a marvelous job of opening a window for his readers to peek their heads into the life of a slave. By my understanding, Frederick Douglass made slavery to be this complex organism that has many layers and working parts to it that make it function. It was a complex system created by white men, and each component of that system is created with a specific purpose. When Fredrick Douglass learns to read, that is when he begins to see the complexity of the system. The slaves were kept unaware and dumb so they would be easier to manipulate. There are the plantations that keep the slaves sheltered and hidden from the outside world. The Head masters that run everything and have complete power over every slave and everything on the plantation. The overseers that work like watch dogs with a bite as means as their bark. The slaves had their headquarters where they would form a type of community that helped them live in such cruel conditions. Most of the time, the slaves living in these communities would become almost like family. However, this was not true for Frederick Douglass, he did not have family and never really fit in among the other slave children. He was constantly picked on by the cook. It was in these early years that Douglass realized that if he wanted to survive, he would have to rely...
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...Frederick Douglass By: Francisco Bogado and Fátima Espinoza Frederick Douglass was born in a slave cabin, in February 1818. When he was about eight, he was sent to Baltimore to live as a servant with his mother’s relatives. Returning to the east coast, around the age of fifteen, Douglass became a field hand, and experienced most of the horrifying conditions that plagued slaves during the 270 years of legalized slavery in America. Douglass shared his knowledge with others enslaved. Hired by William Freeland, he taught other slaves on the plantation to read the New Testament in a weekly religious service. The interest was so great that in a week, more than 40 slaves attended classes. In 1838 Douglass escaped from slavery. He first went to New York City. He was internationally recognized as an uncompromising abolitionist, indefatigable worker for justice and equal opportunity and unyielding defender of women's rights. He became a trusted advisor to Abraham Lincoln, United States Marshal for the District of Columbia, Recorder of Deeds in Washington, DC, and the Minister General of the Republic of Haiti. In 1843 while he was in New Bedford, he began to read the liberator, an abolitionist journal. He also attended anti-slavery meetings held in African American Churches. Douglass was chased and beaten by an angry mob before being rescued by a local family Quaker. Douglass credited The Columbian Orator with clarifying and defining his views on human rights. In 1848, he was the only...
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...Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass was unlike any other man of his day; White or Black. He was a man of the South, but he was denied his right to be an independent man because he was black and a slave born to a Southern plantation in 1818. We know from history books that Frederick Douglass unlike most slaves broke free of his bondage and fought his way in becoming the master of his own destiny. What is compelling about this biography is that Frederick Douglas managed to escape the repression of slavery and instead of disappearing into the mist; he became a champion of human rights and an ardent supporter of the abolitionist movement in the North. The rest they say is history and the history of Frederick Douglass was amazing. The beginning of Frederick’s life is typical of a slave born into the socio-cultural paradigm of the South and its paternalistic framework of the Plantation system. Owner is master/father of his 'family' and the hierarchy that follows-ending with the slave class at the bottom rung. Though typical, this is a sad scenario of a young orphaned boy sold to a plantation in Baltimore and repeatedly taken to one strange home after another to serve as a slave. Though this separation was not painful, it seems bizarre that there was any cause for celebration in the young boy; yet Frederick writes about his mounting excitement of moving on to a new home. He was hoping that his life at the new plantation would be better than the one he was leaving behind. This...
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...Frederick Douglass: Activist, Orator, Publisher, Statesman was first published in the January-March 2007 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine. From reading this article you can sense Douglass willingness for change. The experiences he encountered as a slave would be unbelievable to many. This article explains all most everything about his life as a slave. It takes you to a pathway from slavery to freedom. In other words, it guides you through a timeline of his life. The article states the fact that he was separated from his mom right after birth. Around seven years old, he was sent to work in Baltimore as a houseboy. The wife of the household, Mrs. Auld, taught him alphabets until her husband demanded her to no longer do so. He then got help from friends and taught himself how to read and write. Once he became a teenager, he had to experience life as a plantation slave. Through the brutal living as a slave, he found a way to fight back. After escaping to freedom, he had to carry fake identification papers showing that he was a free man. Later he married Anna Murray and got the surname Douglass to protect himself as a fugitive slave. He published abolitionist newspapers, traveled, challenged racist laws and Free states, and aided Underground Railroad efforts. Although Frederick Douglass faced many challenges, he still managed to get slavery abolished nationwide. To sum it up, Douglass stood to be a very powerful man. Regardless of his background in life, he still accomplished...
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...Frederick Douglass: Activist, Orator, Publisher, Statesman was first published in the January-March 2007 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine. From reading this article you can sense Douglass willingness for change. The experiences he encountered as a slave would be unbelievable to many. This article explains all most everything about his life as a slave. It takes you to a pathway from slavery to freedom. In other words, it guides you through a timeline of his life. The article states the fact that he was separated from his mom right after birth. Around seven years old, he was sent to work in Baltimore as a houseboy. The wife of the household, Mrs. Auld, taught him alphabets until her husband demanded her to no longer do so. He then got help from friends and taught himself how to read and write. Once he became a teenager, he had to experience life as a plantation slave. Through the brutal living as a slave, he found a way to fight back. After escaping to freedom, he had to carry fake identification papers showing that he was a free man. Later he married Anna Murray and got the surname Douglass to protect himself as a fugitive slave. He published abolitionist newspapers, traveled, challenged racist laws and Free states, and aided Underground Railroad efforts. Although Frederick Douglass faced many challenges, he still managed to get slavery abolished nationwide. To sum it up, Douglass stood to be a very powerful man. Regardless of his background in life, he still accomplished...
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...the Life of Frederick Douglass Study Guide What kind of book is this? This book is a narrative and an autobiography What kind of historical source? This is a primary historical source in the fact that this was told through the eyes of someone who lived and witnessed this time in history. Who wrote this book? When was it published? What is the book’s purpose? Who was supposed to read this book? This book was written by Frederick Douglass himself and it was published in 1845. The purpose of this book was to inform the readers about the horrors of slavery and the effects it had on the people. I also believe that since this book was written during the time of slavery, he wanted to persuade people against it. I believe he wished everyone, especially children during the time to read it to realize the horrors of such an institution. Who were William Lloyd Garrison and Wendell Phillips? What were their roles in book? William Lloyd Garrison is the Founder of the American Anti-Slavery Society, while Wendell Phillips s the president of the society. These men played roles in getting Frederick Douglass to publish his work and story about slavery. Mr. Garrison also hired Frederick for the cause of abolishing slavery. Briefly describe the author of this book – i.e., birth date and location, geographical movements, life when book was published. Based on the course/textbook, was he a typical slave? The author, Frederick Douglass,...
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...Frederick Douglass Rhetorical Analysis Emancipated slave turned distinguished scholar, Frederick Douglass, uses his book Narratives of the Life of an American Slave to narrate the struggles that he went through as a slave under one of his owners, referred to as “my mistress”. Douglass uses this book to enlighten the American people about the horrors and the sheer inhumanity of slavery. In this book, written before the Civil War, he accurately represents what happened to slaves to those who weren’t accustomed to the horrors of slavery, the Northerners. He tried to convey the struggles of slavery to the people of the North to try to get them to help those agonizing in the South. Douglass accomplishes this goal by using antithetical ideas, by using metaphor and by using diction that was only expected of the upper class. Douglass begins his book by emphasizing the negative effect of slavery on the slave-owner. He explores these negative effects by discussing how being a slave owner caused his mistress to change from a “lamblike disposition to a tiger-like fierceness (line 14-15).” This demonstrates how slavery can corrupt how a person thinks and acts. Although the shift in this sentence was very apparent, Douglass implicitly discusses this shift throughout the passage by speaking of his mistress’ kind heartedness prior to owning slaves, to her ruthless behavior after owning slaves. According to Douglass, this sudden shift of behavior can be attributed to the power she gained...
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