These gentlemen have, as I think, fully and clearly vindicated the Constitution from any design to support slavery for an hour. I have been frequently asked to explain this phase of our national problem [a revival of lynch law in the South]. What, am I to argue that it is wrong to make men brutes, to rob them of their liberty, to work them without wages, to keep them ignorant of their relations to their fellow men, to beat them with sticks, to flay their flesh with the lash, to load their limbs with irons, to hunt them with dogs, to sell them at auction, to sunder their families, to knock out their teeth, to burn their flesh, to starve them into obedience and submission to their masters? Frederick Douglass delivering a speech in a crowded room in 1892. What, To The Slave, Is The Fourth Of July? (1852) performed by Nicole Beharie. That he is the rightful owner of his own body? The principles contained in that instrument are saving principles. (LogOut/ Common sources include the Library of Congress, The Flickr Commons, Wikimedia Commons, and other public archives. There, the church, true to its mission of ameliorating, elevating, and improving the condition of mankind, came forward promptly, bound up the wounds of the West Indian slave, and restored him to his liberty. Nobody doubts it. WebSpeeches Frederick Douglass was known as a bold and passionate speaker. Would you have me argue that man is entitled to liberty? Keep listening to people who say democracy cant work, and it wont. America is false to the past, false to the present, and solemnly binds herself to be false to the future. ; Wells-Barnett, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Ida B. Our Composite Nationality: An Address Its future might be shrouded in gloom, and the hope of its prophets go out in sorrow. It was fashionable, hundreds of years ago, for the children of Jacob to boast, we have Abraham to our father, when they had long lost Abrahams faith and spirit. A John Knox would be seen at every church door, and heard from every pulpit, and Fillmore would have no more quarter than was shown by Knox, to the beautiful, but treacherous queen Mary of Scotland. Letter to My Old Master. Douglass, Frederick, 1818-1895 -- Speeches, Remove constraint Names: Douglass, Frederick, 1818-1895 -- Speeches, Charles N. Hunter papers, 1850s-1932 and undated, Aycock, Charles B. The Slaves Right to Revolt: An Address The American Apocalypse: An Address Until the public schools shall cease to be caste schools in every part of our country, this discussion will go on. While drawing encouragement from the Declaration of Independence, the great principles it contains, and the genius of American Institutions, my spirit is also cheered by the obvious tendencies of the age. Douglass Monthly, November 1859 Most noteable is a transcription of Frederick Douglass' speech given at the 2nd Annual N.C. Negro State Fair. Frederick Douglass: Selected Speeches and Writings (The Library of Black America series): Foner, Philip S., Taylor, Yuval: 9781556523526: Amazon.com: Books Books History Americas Buy new: $33.40 List Price: $35.00 Details Save: $1.60 (5%) FREE Returns FREE delivery Thursday, December 15 Select delivery location The first autobiography, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Written by Himself, catapulted him to fame and invigorated the abolitionist movement. Among the correspondents are several African American Congressional representatives such as George H. White and Henry P. Cheatham; major political figures like Franklin D. Roosevelt and John Alexander Logan; important African American scholars including W.E.B. Is it that slavery is not divine; that God did not establish it; that our doctors of divinity are mistaken? The greatest and best of British statesmen admitted its justice, and the loftiest eloquence of the British Senate came to its support. Under these, and innumerable other disadvantages, your fathers declared for liberty and independence and triumphed. Fellow citizens, this murderous traffic is, today, in active operation in this boasted republic. The Do-Nothing Policy Like our content? New York, New York, May 11, 1853 This home government, you know, although a considerable distance from your home, did, in the exercise of its parental prerogatives, impose upon its colonial children, such restraints, burdens and limitations, as, in its mature judgment, it deemed wise, right and proper. This list of works by and about Frederick Douglass will help you brush up on your knowledge. The largest single-volume selection of Frederick Douglasss writings ever published, presenting the full texts of thirty-four speeches and sixty-seven pieces of journalism | Includes the novella The Heroic Slave. A Warner Bros. Mark the sad procession, as it moves wearily along, and the inhuman wretch who drives them. To the Rochester Democrat and American They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. After the toast provided by former Senator Blanche K. Bruce, Frederick Douglass rose to deliver a remarkable speech, the full text of which was reported in full by the African American newspaper, The Bee. Douglass bold vision of America takes on fresh relevance today as PBS premieres a new documentary about his life by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Stanley Nelson. They were peace men; but they preferred revolution to peaceful submission to bondage. It might seem far-fetched, but weve already seen the alternatives in the January 6 insurrection and the mounting sense of dread many Americans now feel about the future. Many White Americans believed Black people were genetically inferior. Must I argue the wrongfulness of slavery? Fellow Citizens, I am not wanting in respect for the fathers of this republic. Republican Party leaders now describe the Jan. 6 insurrection at the US Capitol as legitimate political discourse.. WebDouglass escaped slavery at the young age of 20 years old. We have put together a list of the following speeches that have opened the minds of the American The New National Era, October 27, 1870 Do Not Send Back the Fugitive: An Address It was a time in America when people openly embraced Social Darwinism, the idea that White people were meant to rule over others because they were innately superior. Correspondence relates to personal and financial matters, as well as to Hunter's various activities to improve African American education and economic well-being, particularly in the South. But, besides general considerations, there were peculiar circumstances which make the advent of this republic an event of special attractiveness. They were quiet men; but they did not shrink from agitating against oppression. Douglass Monthly, October 1862 He said. It has made itself the bulwark of American slavery, and the shield of American slave-hunters. Washington, D .C ., April 14, 1876 Douglass began advocating for equality after he escaped slavery in Maryland in 1838. In the language of Isaiah, the American church might be well addressed, Bring no more vain ablations; incense is an abomination unto me: the new moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity even the solemn meeting. What can we say about Frederick Douglas, the nations most formative abolitionist, on a day set aside to remember his impact on American society and his contributions to the racial justice movement? Actors Nicole Beharie (Scenes from a Marriage), Colman Domingo (Euphoria), Jonathan Majors (Lovecraft Country), Denzel Whitakerand Jeffrey Wright (Westworld) draw from five of Douglass legendary speeches, to represent a different moment in the tumultuous history of 19th century America as well as a different stage of Douglass long and celebrated life. a breathtaking biography that demonstrates the scope of Frederick Douglass influence through deep research on his writings, his intellectual evolution and his relationships. And let me warn you that it is dangerous to copy the example of a nation whose crimes, lowering up to heaven, were thrown down by the breath of the Almighty, burying that nation in irrecoverable ruin! To clap back, they wrote an epic pamphlet on why the culture of colored Americans were insufficiently displayed at the fair. Frederick Douglasss famous Fourth of July speech has caused much criticism over the years. They believed in order; but not in the order of tyranny. 1411 W Street SE You will have an aggrieved class, and this discussion will go on. You live and must die, and you must do your work. Actors Nicole Beharie ( Scenes from a The North American Review, May 1886 The Mission of the War: An Address Many of you understand them better than I do. Would to God, both for your sakes and ours, that an affirmative answer could be truthfully returned to these questions! The fact is, ladies and gentlemen, the distance between this platform and the slave plantation, from which I escaped, is considerable and the difficulties to be overcome in getting from the latter to the former, are by no means slight. Pro-Trump protesters stand on the East steps of the Capitol Building after storming its grounds on January 6, 2021, in Washington. From police shootings to the wage gap to crippling stereotypes (and everything in between), there are too many parallels today with what Douglass described in his speech to white America, including this relevant line: This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. By an act of the American Congress, not yet two years old, slavery has been nationalized in its most horrible and revolting form. WebThe main goal of Douglass' speeches was to persuade the audience that slavery was not good and should be abolished. The vision he had of America was in tatters, the historian David Blight, who won the Pulitzer Prize for Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom, said in an essay. On the 2d of July, 1776, the old Continental Congress, to the dismay of the lovers of ease, and the worshipers of property, clothed that dreadful idea with all the authority of national sanction. They did not come because its leaders disparaged the poor, incarcerated racial or political minorities, or mocked the handicapped and those whose sexual orientation did not fit in faux religious boxes. He was way ahead of his time, says Bromell, author of The Powers of Dignity: The Black Political Philosophy of Frederick Douglass., He was speaking for a multiracial, diverse America in the 1860s, he says. These wretched people are to be sold singly, or in lots, to suit purchasers. This enormous collection of African American newspapers contains a wealth of information about cultural life and history during the 1800s and is rich with first-hand reports of the major events and issues of the day. Hingham, Massachusetts, November 4, 1841 The American Constitution and the Slave: An Address I was born amid such sights and scenes. I remember, also, that, as a people, Americans are remarkably familiar with all facts which make in their own favor. The arm of commerce has borne away the gates of the strong city. Everybody can say it; the dastard, not less than the noble brave, can flippantly discant on the tyranny of England towards the American Colonies. 5 Questions About Reconstruction Answered, Match the Quote to the Speaker: American Speeches, https://www.britannica.com/question/What-are-some-of-Frederick-Douglasss-most-famous-writings-and-speeches, What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?. This includes commencement invitations from historically black colleges and universities, a fourth edition of Lunsford Lane's slave narrative, and newspaper clippings. Chaffin, Tom. How was Frederick Douglass involved in the American Civil War and Reconstruction? Ethiopia shall stretch out her hand unto God. In the fervent aspirations of William Lloyd Garrison, I say, and let every heart join in saying it: Th oppressd shall vilely bend the knee. New York, New York, February 6, 1863 The iron shoe, and crippled foot of China must be seen, in contrast with nature. The clippings have been copied and arranged chronologically; the originals are closed to use. This volume brings together twenty of Frederick Douglasss most historically significant speeches on a range of issues, including slavery, abolitionism, civil rights, WebWORD COUNT: 1,660 words. The freedom gained is yours; and you, therefore, may properly celebrate this anniversary. Read by Ava Yuninger, Music by Ava Yuninger. In the solitude of my spirit, I see clouds of dust raised on the highways of the South; I see the bleeding footsteps; I hear the doleful wail of fettered humanity, on the way to the slave markets, where the victims are to be sold like horses, sheep, and swine, knocked off to the highest bidder. May he not hope that high lessons of wisdom, of justice and of truth, will yet give direction to her destiny? There is blasphemy in the thought. Anti-Irish and German-Catholic prejudice was pervasive. When he turned eight years old, his slaveowner hired him out to work as a body servant in Baltimore. (LogOut/ A worship that can be conducted by persons who refuse to give shelter to the houseless, to give bread to the hungry, clothing to the naked, and who enjoin obedience to a law forbidding these acts of mercy, is a curse, not a blessing to mankind. The speech is called Composite Nation and in it Douglass tackles a question that lurks behind many of the current political debates in the US: Is the country better off having a multitude of races, ethnic groups and religious beliefs? Delivering a speech in a crowded room in 1892 you live and must die, the. Your sakes and ours, that an affirmative answer could be truthfully returned to these questions and... 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