Douglass vs. King

Paper Summary:

This essay quotes sections from the speeches by Frederick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr. and provides a comparison between the two. The paper points out that while King does win over his followers he speaks very little of himself and rarely even acknowledges his audience. Douglass spends more effort humbling himself, and emphasizes a greater division between himself and his audience. The paper concludes that while they both provide excellent arguments, Douglass more effectively explains, proves, and expresses his points than does King, possibly due to the simple fact that his speech is much longer.

From the Paper:

"Both of the speeches given by Frederick Douglass and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. rely on similar arguments based on the foundations of liberty and justice which frame the creation of the United States. Also similarly, both of these orators are speaking to a generally friendly and encouraging audience. Although both of the arguments presented in these speeches are convincing and well-crafted, Douglass's speech would be more likely to persuade an unfriendly audience, as can be argued was actually the intent of both speakers, because Douglass spends more effort humbling himself, provides more evidence for his arguments, and emphasizes a greater division between himself and his audience.
"While both speakers find a warm welcome from their audiences, Douglass takes more time to establish the differing social status between himself and his audience while King immediately commits to presenting his argument, which would help Douglass sway opponents more effectively than King. In his opening statement, Douglass proclaims, ''He who could address this audience without a quailing sensation, has stronger nerves than I have."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Douglass, Frederick. "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro: Speech at Rochester, New York, July 5, 1852." The Norton Anthology of American Literature: 1820-1865. Ed. Nina Baym. 6th ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.,2003. 2108-2127
• King Jr., Martin Luther. "I Have a Dream." Douglass Archives of American Public Address. 26 May 1999. 19 February 2007. <http://douglass.speech.nwu.edu>

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