Essay On Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass the most successful abolitionist who changed America’s views of slavery through his writings and actions. Frederick Douglass had many achievements throughout his life. His Life as a slave had a great impact on his writings. His great oratory skills left the largest impact on Civil War time period literature. All in all he was the best black speaker and writer ever.

In 1845, Douglass published his first book which was an autobiography called the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. This book became very successful, becoming an American best seller and going international. He wrote many other books and became a famous influential writer. Douglass was a great voice for hope, making many speeches, against slavery and racism. He even traveled to other countries to speak about his story. During the Civil War, he advised President Abraham Lincoln, he worked as a propagandist for the Union’s views and freeing slaves.

He tells them that slavery is in contradiction of what the founding fathers valued and believed in, as well as what they fought for. Frederick says the founding fathers believed in freedom and equality. The same things they fought to get away from, are the same things white Americans were doing to African Americans in that present time. He says in his speech, “Feeling themselves harshly and unjustly treated by the home government, your fathers, like men of honesty, and men of spirit earnestly sought redress,” (404). This quote is an example of how the founding fathers were feeling under England’s government, and how Frederick Douglass was relating it to how blacks were getting treated and how they felt throughout the United States in that present time. He wanted white Americans to recognize how they were portraying their nation. Another way he gets his audience to recognize what they were doing was wrong was by using their emotions to trigger shame and disappointment within themselves. Mr. Douglass shames them by comparing them to their founding fathers, who they look up to and celebrated. He says in the speech, “You live and must die, and you must do your own work…You have no right to wear out and waste the hard-earned fame of your fathers to cover your indolence,” (407), to shame his audience on not carrying on the principles and morals that the founding fathers worked so hard to gain. Another example of him guilting his audience is when he

Douglass and the abolitionists argued that because the aim of the Civil War was to end slavery, African Americans should be allowed to engage in the fight for their freedom. Douglass met with President Lincoln to discuss the role of blacks in the Civil War. He felt that military service was important in order to service the rights of citizenship and suffrage. In an interview with President Lincoln he advocated for equal treatment, pay and protection of black soldiers as well as rewards with promotion. “Abraham Lincoln referred to him as the most meritorious man of the nineteenth century (Who was Frederick Douglass?).” With the North no longer obliged to return slaves to their owners in the South, Douglass fought for equality for his people. He made plans with Lincoln to move liberated slaves out of the South. During the war, Douglass also helped the Union by serving as a recruiter for the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment. “As soon as he got orders to start recruiting for the 54th Massachusetts Regiment his sons, Charles and Lewis, were one of the first ones to enroll (Douglass’ Role in the Civil War).” “His recruitment efforts were highly successful as regiments quickly filled up. Among the best known articles he wrote in Douglass Monthly are “Another Word to Colored Men”, “Why should a Black Man enlist?” and “Men of Color to Arms (Douglass’ Role in the Civil War).” His employment with the Anti-Slavery Society ended however, Douglass continued to fight for equal rights and full citizenship for African

After the Civil War granting African Americans their freedom, Frederick Douglass became a political activist against the institution of slavery. He combined his efforts with John Brown, an abolitionist, engaging in strong minded debates in figuring out whether the U.S Constitution was proslavery, antislavery, created for the well being of all men or only white men. Douglass gained the knowledge of political reform and how to go about movements, in his case, abolition movements, and later on assisting in women rights movements. He learned that being looked upon in politics, as an intelligent and well-respected individual without pursuing force would be the best way to gain his victory. His goal was to persuade the American public opinion against slavery, while praising democratic freedom and progression of American principles, reaching audiences of all sexes and races. He also pointed out

In Frederick Douglass’ Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Mr. Douglass gives many examples of cruelty towards slaves as he shows many reasons that could have been used to abolish slavery. Throughout the well-written narrative, Douglass uses examples from the severe whippings that took place constantly to a form of brainwashing by the slaveholders over the slaves describing the terrible conditions that the slaves were faced with in the south in the first half of the 1800’s. The purpose of this narrative was most likely to give others not affiliated with slaves an explicit view of what actually happened to the slaves physically, mentally, and emotionally to show the explicit importance of knowledge to the liberation

Douglass also served as an adviser to President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War and fought for the adoption of constitutional amendments that guaranteed voting rights and other civil liberties for blacks. Douglass provided a powerful voice for human rights during this period of our American history. Frederick Douglass was also worked very hard in the women’s rights movement. He once said

Abraham Lincoln referred to him as the most meritorious man of the nineteenth century. In his later years, Douglass was appointed to several offices. William Lloyd Garrison

Frederick Douglass was a very firm believer in equality in all people no matter your race or skin color. He witnessed a black women get beaten because one of the slave owners wanted her and she had a boyfriend, he could not doing anything to help the women so he ran somewhere he could not witness what was happening. She deserved to be with whoever she want to but since she was black she got treated differently from the

Frederick Douglass’s books and speeches had led to the division of the North and the South. During the Civil War Douglass had been a strong believer in the Union. He had even convinced Abraham Lincoln to let African Americans enlist in the army. He had put up recruitment posters saying “Men of color, to arms.” He had been convincing Lincoln of black rights from the start of the war. Even though at the end of the war slaves had earned their freedom, they were still discriminated against.

Buccola, Nicholas. "Each for All and All for Each: The Liberal Statesmanship of Frederick Douglass." Review of Politics 70.3 (2008): 400-419. Print. The author talks about how Frederick Douglass slavery led him to appreciate human interdependence and reject liberalism. Douglass’s aim was undoubtedly liberal but he thought these aims could only be realized in a community of individuals who felt strongly about one another. The author’s idea is to explore how Douglass faced these challenges and liberal statesmanship.

Frederick Douglass is perhaps the most well-known abolitionist from American history. He is responsible for creating a lot of support for the abolitionist movement in the years before the Civil War. He, along with many others, was able to gain support for and attention to the abolitionist movement. People like him are the reason that slavery ended in the United States.

In this book Fredrick Douglass finds shows himself growing up as a slave in Baltimore, Maryland. He eventually escapes from his master and becomes a run away slave as he flees to the north. Douglass however is most popularly known for his pressure on the supreme court to obtain equal rights for African American citizens. He made huge advances in civil rights for his fellow African American brothers and sisters. His contributions have caused a balancing of society that is still getting better to this day.

Frederick Douglass was one of the most influential men of the anti-slavery movement. He stood up for what he believed in, fought hard to get where he got and never let someone tell him he could not do something. Frederick Douglass made a change in this country that will always be remembered.

Fredrick Douglass was a black leader who changed people’s view of slavery, and he had many achievements throughout his life. By giving many speeches Fredrick Douglass began to give speeches about the harms of slavery in 1841. Fredrick Douglass was the only man who took part in women’s rights. One way he changed America’s view of slavery is by marrying a white woman to try to break the cycle of racism. He also spoke against beer and alcohol. Douglass also reached people by writing books such as his autobiography “ The Narrative of the life of Fredrick Douglass”.