Frederick Douglass

Paper Summary:

This paper details the dramatic events that led Frederick Douglass to pave the way for the successful Abolition Movement in America and the post-Civil War abolition of American slavery in 1865. This paper examines the life of Douglass who was born a slave. Douglass, as a young man seeking freedom ran away first to the North and then to England to escape the bonds of slavery. This paper details Douglass' childhood during the era of slavery as well as his determination to learn to read and write, which at the time was unheard of. This paper examines various autobiographical works of writing by Douglass and others including Harriet Jacobs and Phillis Wheatley, which detailed slavery in America. This paper delves into the various works written during the 19th century and which are now used in colleges around the country. The writer contends and explains that Douglass lived and wrote in a time and place where to attempt to subvert the American slavery system as he did was to invite torturous abuse, if not death. This paper also discusses how for the cause of African-American freedom from slavery, Douglass put his safety and his family's safety, on the line again and again.

From the Paper:

"Sadly and ironically, then, as these and numerous other slave biographies and autobiographies attest, Frederick Douglass; Linda Brent; Phillis Wheatley, Sojourner Truth and numerous other 19th century African Americans, many of whose speeches and writings are now integral to college and university courses in literature; African American studies; history; sociology, education, and other subjects, never saw for themselves, as students, the inside of a college or university classroom. Well into the 19th century, access to higher (or any) formal education was but a pipe dream for the vast majority of those born slaves. Indeed, from the outset of American slavery, but particularly during the Industrial Revolution, with field labor then needed more than ever to meet the high demand for cotton and textiles, slaves managing to become even minimally literate did so against the expressed will of their masters."

More papers on Frederick Douglass:

• Analytical Essay # 122572 : "Frederick Douglass"
• Book Review # 133343 : "A Review of Frederick Douglass's book, "Learning to Read and Write"
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