Why Did Frederick Douglass Gain His Freedom

He uses his words to fight for the freedom and rights of African American, which make him affected writer with credibility that he has live in the period of the Old South and the New South. I think this give him the ability to be affected writer to discuss this issue and make a huge change in the society. Frederick Douglass used his writing skills to show his desire to free African American Slaves. Even after he escape to the North and was a free man, he completes his desire and write about the injustice situation that he expert to let all the people know about it and end the slavery. Another good author to mention is Flannery O’Connor in Everything That Rises Must Converge.

Frederick Douglass was one of the most important and famous African Americans in America. He had an great impact on society, politics, and the life of blacks. Frederick Douglass was a prominent abolitionist, writer, reformer and orator. He was born into slavery, but escaped and against great odds became the voice for many people. He was an advocate for human rights and the anti-slavery movement.

In their fight against the inhumanity of slavery, the most significant device the abolitionists used were Anti- slavery writings. Through the use of newspapers, pamphlets, poetry, and published sermons, they were able to spread their messages of freedom for all. Examples of famous abolitionist text include, David Walker's Appeal, Frederick Douglass' The North Star and The Liberator, by William Lloyd Garrison. Then you have the slave narratives, which were deemed as personal accounts of what it was like to live in slavery. These slave narratives gave the most powerful accounts that contradicted the flattery statements and claims given by slave owners in concern to slavery.

Frederick Douglass’ Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Written by Himself and Harriet Jacobs’ Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl discusses how slavery dehumanizes and breaks down an individual to no worth. Douglass’ and Jacobs’ accounts are similar because they lecture against slavery with the work and obstacles they went through. Jacobs says, “For years, my master had done his utmost to pollute my mind with foul images, and to destroy the pure principles inculcated by my grandmother, and the good mistress of my childhood. The influences of slavery had the same effect on me that they had on other young girls; they had made me prematurely knowing, concerning the evil ways of the world.” (827) Jacobs explains that slavery has attempted to take a toll on her life with its physical, emotional, and mental abuse. Women in slavery were mistreated sexually as well, and in this case, Jacobs faced sexual oppression at a young age.

Defenders of slavery argued that slavery was not bad for slaves, but Douglass argues that it is terrible. One way it is terrible for a slave is that they're taken from their parents. Douglass is not sure who his father is but he guesses it is the master. he is separated from his mother and he only saw her at night. Douglass says that his master tries to “blunt and destroy the natural affection of the mother for the child” (1.3).

To ever teach slave would ensure “the freedom of the slaves and the enslavement of the whites” (Douglass, 2012). If a person does not know a brighter happier place exists they will not want to go there. Likewise, if a slave only knows the life his master affords him, he does not know there are place

It wasn 't that the slaves just didn’t want to tell them because they 'll ask for more, if they told them then they would learn. If a slave knew about the world and their differences, then it would make them think critically of everything. They would start to realize how they could make changes or they could plan out an escaped to get out of slavery and into freedom. If a master found out a slave knew how to learn or write, the slave would be severely punished. As mentioned in the book, it says how Mrs. Auld was teaching him when a master walked in and said no.

She goes to him and pleads that she is not black, even comparing her hand color to his. Her attempts to persuade Armand are useless, and he continues to believe she is black and that his heritage is permanently damaged. Chopin writes that “Moreover he no longer loved her, because of the unconscious injury she had brought upon his home and his name (Chopin 3).” He swiftly dismisses Désirée and his son from the plantation due to the “damage” she has brought upon him. Soon afterwards, in an ironic turn of events, Chopin writes that Armand discovers a letter from his mother to his father while burning Désirée’s possessions. Upon reading this letter, it is revealed that Armand is truly the one with black heritage, as his mother had been black.

African Americans used as slaves and not recognized as real people was a daily behavior. Dred Scott’s emancipation could have been a step in the North’s favor, however, his freedom was hatefully denied by Southern scheme of

This would allow the slave(s) to escape prior to the punishment. Josiah Henson considered running away as “stealing himself” because he felt as if he belonged to his master and was his property so when he ran away, he felt as if he was taking away his master’s property which would be his enslavement. The lyrics, “Got one mind for the boss to see; Got another mind for what I know is me”, displays the slaves’ ability to be dual. Although they had to please and be obedient to the master, that didn’t mean that behind closed doors they held the same utmost respect for the master. Many slaves in the south remained working on the plantations during the Civil War because agriculture was still significant economically and for the master’s benefit.