F.Douglass’s Education in the Fight for Freedom

Frederick Douglass fight for freedom was a journey for him ever since he was a child. From his slavery days to adulthood he battled the white man and his societal barriers that would be put towards African Americans. His literature and education made him the educated man that would fight for his people and make a statement every chance he could. Frederick Douglass was born in Talbot County in Maryland, he was known for being a orator, writer, and activist who would speak out against what he believed in. He was born into slavery and faced many trials and tribulations that many others wouldnt dare think of. Frederick Douglass and his mother were separated from each other while he was an infant, but would eventually go on to live with his maternal grandmother until being shipped off from her to work on a plantation. Frederick Douglass would go on to later learn the alphabet from the slave masters and teach other slaves how to read and write. Frederick Douglass always had the strive to fight for what he believed in whether it was for education or freedom. My research task will convey the struggles that Frederick Douglass faced while in the fight for freedom. Frederick Douglass was always interested in education and all his childhood he portrayed that. Frederick Douglass was interested in education at an very young age by his masterr's mistress but was forced to stop due to being unlawful to teach a slave how to read or write. Douglas wrote that, To use his own words, further, he said, ?If you give a nigger an inch he will take an ell. A nigger should know nothing but to obey his master - to do as he is told to do.. Douglass conveys that a slave should have no authority or knowledge of learning and only be working towards what the master expects out of him. The slaves were treated as property and were only meant for manual labor. Frederick conveys that Sophia Auld was a kindhearted woman who treated him as a human rather than the master treating him as property. Slavery for Frederick Douglass was indeed a struggle at times but Sophia Auld made it heavenly for him as she would clothe the naked and feed the hungry. Her tenderheartedness would prove to Frederick Douglass that she can treat him as a human rather than just a slave. From the time Douglass was refused to read or write, he would have the determination to find out to escape from slavery into freedom and fight to learn. The motive for Frederick Douglass wanting to strive for more knowledge in reading and writing serves as a purpose for him fighting to escape to freedom. Education serves as a priority in todayr's as it secures freedom and helps with the growth and affluence of the nation. Education was a main priority for Frederick Douglass to escape slavery and secure his freedom, and would help him grow as a human rather than being a slave to the system. Once Frederick Douglass escaped from slavery into freedom he began to mold his mind. He faced many times of hardships, but his days of hardships came with development as well. He would negotiate for labor to put money in his pockets. African Americans in New Bedford had a high standard of living and education than in Baltimore. Frederick Douglass was so intrigued by the community and environment he was surrounded by he became well aware of the abolitionist movement. He started to get involved in his community and joined and became subscriber to a local newspaper by the name of Garrisonr's paper. Douglass would speak his thoughts on the abolitionist movement in his writings. He had mastered his philosophy of writing and critiquing by taking notes reading The Liberator. Frederick Douglass would eventually attend the gatherings of abolition meetings voicing his opinion on resolving slavery and praising the Garrison papers saying as deserving of our support and confidence. He would eventually rise to leadership as more and more people began to listen and believe in his message. Frederick Douglass attends the annual meeting of Bristol Anti-Slavery Society where he sees Garrison who is head of Garrisonr's papers. Douglass was excited because it was his first holiday since becoming a free man and he would get to partake in movement with Garrison and many other of his followers. Douglass would go on to speak at Athenaeum Hall unexpectedly and be introduced by William Coffin, an abolitionist. He would speak nervously as he reminisce on his times as a slave. Months later Douglass would get use to speaking about the abolitionist movement and move forward and discuss launching his own career as an abolitionist. Douglass infatuation with wanting to speak out towards the abolitionist movement sought for him to debate on what it was like for slaves in that society. Frederick Douglass put his knowledge to the test and showed great confidence in why the public platform was the place for him to speak out on what he has been fighting for his whole life. Douglass was psychologically ready to become his own master but fulminations against slavery were not there. He did want to use the public platform to dramatize his personal experiences. He preferred to base his opposition on slavery and hardships of the three million slaves rather his own memories. His speaking abilities recognized were in 1841 when he gave a dramatic address to an antislavery meeting on Nantucket Island, then after he would soon be hired by the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society. In the spring he was lecturing throughout the state. Douglass came to Lanesborough, had a perspicacity writing ability unusual for his age. Douglass at the outset of his long public career, the entries any known Douglass manuscript. They amend previously ionic concerning his whereabouts at the time and provide dates from him. Douglassr's earliest popular speeches, Slaveholderr's Sermon, a cutting satire on the religious hypocrisy of pro slavery Southern clergymen. There are very few copies of Douglassr's early speeches and no complete copy of the famous Slaveholderr's Sermon. Frederick Douglass a colored man formerly a slave at the South. He went on to lecture and was very much pleased with it. Before starting his lecture he prayed. In his prayer he prayed for these two million and a half of inhabitants in the United States who are in CHains. After he had done the prayer, he began his lecture saying what is slavery? He made some laugh. He said he had a very pious master who was so pious that he would take his cousin and whip her till the blood ran. Douglass was paid four dollars and fifty cents in April 5, 1842. In the evening Mr. Douglass gave lecture. First he prayed, then he began the lecture, he began with this story once there was slaveholder who was in debt to a jew who was named Solomon. When Solomon came, he would try to get him off by saying, Why Solomon I am very busy to day and so on until at last solomon tried. At last he asked to have him set a day. Why Solomon said I have been thinking, the day of Judgement. Solomon you would be too busy then. Well after this subscription was taken. He then told another little story and then dismissed them. Douglass was paid for both nights 14 dollars. Frederick Douglass said little about his career as an antislavery lecturer. He stated to have been engaged in pleading the cause of his brethren, with what success and with what devotion, he leaves those acquainted with labors to decide. Douglassr's effectiveness had in fact been terrific and Danforth Hodges diary helps to explain why. The former slave poise, his sense of humor, his skilled sarcasm, and his appealing anecdotal style captured the attention of listeners of all ages. They were to become key weapons in Douglassr's lifelong fight against racial prejudice. I would like to focus your attention on black contributions to the fugitive slave narratives which appeared in large numbers on Northern book markets during the 1830s and 1840s. First, abolition societies sponsored them sometimes even directed, produced and ghost wrote them secondly they added the literary form of the autobiography and adventure story to the largely prosy production of sermons, tracts, speeches, and essays which we tend to think of as making up the bulk of abolitionist writings; and most important of all, they provided new images of the African Americans and the Southern plantation system which challenged the current stereotypes. Frederick Douglass, made a career out of lecturing about their personal experiences and exposing the institution of slavery. One was to expose the workings of slavery by cataloging the hardships, sufferings, and cruelties which the institutions caused. The other was to build a sympathetic picture. Some played up on side. ?This little book is a voice from the prison-house, unfolding the deeds of darkness which are there perpetrated. Some readers who felt that slavery was basically a sound institution whose abusers were open to reform without emancipating the African American, the portrait of the sympathetic black narrator was probably more persuasive. African Americans were anxious to show their own aspirations that matched those of their white contemporaries. They described their yearnings for freedom, their attempts while in slavery to get independent work, to get an education, to join a church, to insure family stability and once in the North, to take part in a freer society on its own terms. The successful negro freeman had many faces and occupations. Whether he was a farmer, like Charles Ball; a minister, like Pennington, an abolitionist, like Douglass; a businessman, like Paul Cuffe; or laborer and small tradesman, like William Grimes, the successful black freeman was the most effective against the negro as slave. Douglass, sale helped keep his head above water and showed something of the fate of the fugitive in the inhospitable northern city. Frederick Douglassr's narrative was the most popular slave account which appeared before the Civil War. It appeared in 1845 and a first edition was sold out in four months. Within the year, four more printings supplies the popular demand, and it was re-issued in 1848 and 1849. By 1850, 30,000 copies had been sold in the United States and the British Isles. By the turn of the century, Douglass had published three separate autobiographies. At least one version is available in England, France, Germany, and Sweden. The dominant image that emerges of Frederick Douglass in his 1845 narrative is that of the intelligent and black reformer whose method of handling ambiguous and threatening situations in life is confrontation. Frederick Douglass was a mastermind when it came to using words to his best ability. For example he spoke on a slaver's argument about freedom in The Columbian Orator saying tongue to interesting thoughts of my own soul, which had frequently flashed through my mind, and died away for want of utterance (42). The metaphors he uses to convey thoughts speaks volumes as to why he is one great writer. The majority of Frederick Douglass writings were clearly formulated towards slavery which he wanted to end. Douglass took on the approach of attacking political struggles through his writings to help free slaves in the south and eliminate racism in the north. His writings had much influence on the abolishment movement joining various others like African American folk and literary culture, economic liberalism, middle class gender ideologies, and sentimental discourse. When all would fail, Douglass would focus his material on current political, historical, and moral truths to focus his writings. Frederick Douglass aesthetics words have made him one of the most logical and well written authors of the 19th century. His literary devices make him like no other and the way he pieces his work makes it unique. He uses his education of literature to get his point across and fight for what he believes in. Frederick Douglass was avid writers who knew how to use the proper words to get his points across. The societal barriers that were placed on him at a young age were not going to stop him from what he believed in. All the choices Frederick Douglass made him one of the most important African American men of society today. His strive for education and the abolitionist movement helped slaves all across America have a voice and want to put an end to the cruelness of his people. His writings and literature spoke volumes for all slaves and would help him in the fight for freedom.

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