Christopher D. Owens
4/15/19
English
MAJ. Knepper
HR: in works cited
Word count:1636
Frederick Douglass was very advanced for his time. Douglas was born into slavery and spent many years as a slave. He embodies the many characteristics that any black man would love to have. Though for most of Douglas`s life he was a slave through perseverance and the will to endure and never give up Douglas was able to obtain his freedom. Douglas also taught himself how to read and write which made him eager to escape his oppression and the inhumanities of slavery itself. Douglas himself at a very young age understood that slavery was wrong. Douglas also understand what it meant to be a slave and the everyday difficulties that black people in America were faced with. After eventually earning his freedom Douglas went north to fortify his freedom. On July 5, 1852 Douglas was asked to give a speech commemorating the signing of the declaration of independence. It was held at Rochester NY at Corinthian hall. The speech was just more than a freedom speech for Americans but what does that typical holiday of the fourth of July means to the average slave? It painted a vivid picture of the injustices that Americans look over every day in the present day of the united states of America.
Fredrick Douglas has done many things in his life. Since escaping his bondage, he became an advocate for black slaves all across America. He was made an abolitionist leader. Douglas also referenced the civil war as the war to end slavery, Douglas in his long career advocated for other groups as well. In 1848 Douglas was one of the few men to attend the women’s right convention in Seneca fall. He later wrote a speech for the Rochester ladies anti-slavery society. This speech came about due to the inhumanities that dealt with slavery and women’s rights. The speech is one of his most widely known works. His audience was all American’s but mainly the women. Women views were valued, and they could help end slavery. That is why this speech is so important.
The writing of the speech “what to the slave is fourth of July” is one of many troubles for Americans. When I say American’s, I mean the conflicted and the oppressed that the declaration addresses. Who is the suggested audience that Douglas is trying to convey his message to? I believe it simple with these words “The fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must morn.” (7 Douglas) He’s saying this to all white American’s that are celebrating the fourth of July. Douglas also goes on to begin his speech by saying, “it is your national independence, and your political freedom.” (2) He highlights “your” to make the crowd understand that it’s their holiday not Black slaves holidays. Douglas also appeals to the white Americans emotions by expressing ethos logos and pathos through his speech.
The main argument of speech what fourth of July means to a slave is crucial to his appeal of ethos logos and pathos. Douglas introduces his speech and goes straight forward in talking about America’s forefathers. How they fight those who sought to unjustly rule them (British). I think he first appeals to pathos at this point in his speech when he says “they felt themselves the victims of grievous wrongs, wholly incurable in their colonial capacity”.(3) With brave men there is remedy for oppression stating that brave people don’t like to be picked and bothered with injustices. I believe that Douglas also used Pathos and the values of the situation to also capture the emotions of his desired audience. “They were peace men, but they preferred revolution to peaceful submission to bondage”. (5) What Douglas meant by this is that the forefathers would rather have bloodshed than to be oppressed and contained any longer by the British. He also uses quotes from scripture “the trust no future, however pleasant, let the dead past bury its dead; Act, act in the living present, Heart within, and God overhead”.(6) I think Douglas put this in here to captivate the audience. Making them think about the past and tie it to the future. The use of this inspirational quote gives you a sense of how Americans should go on about their lives. Stop living in the past because it is over but live for today, so that today will be better for tomorrow.
Douglas expresses logos in his speech as well. Douglas also in his speech appeals to both the founding fathers’ ideals and ties them in with some bible references. “Sydney Smith tell us that men seldom eulogize the wisdom and virtues of their fathers, but to excuse some folly or wickedness of their own.” (7) Douglas now hits vocal points in his speech talking about how this point is valid from modern times to ancient ones. He claims it was fashionable of the children of Jacob that they have Abraham to their father. When they had eventually over time lost Abraham’s favor and faith and spirit. The people though they were doing good in the name of their father, but in reality, they were slandering their fathers good name by the deeds they were committing as a collective society. Douglas implies that this happening all over the country right now with the issue of slavery. At this point in the speech Douglas says that “Washington could not die till he had broken the chains of his slaves. (United States to Great Britain) Yet his monument is built up by the price of human blood my people’s blood.” (7) What this drive on is that though American’s believe in religion and all these factors that play into it why do they cause black men to still suffer in the country. If you feel this way about your people being in chains why impression another group of human beings that are people to. Their voices aren’t heard.
The turning point of Douglas speech starts on page 8 to page 20. Douglas reiterates the issues and oppression’s of slavery. As you see the first half of his speech was about the fourth of July and what it meant to white Americans who escaped oppression from an outside force not the country. It’s also ironic because they are culprits of the very thing, they are celebration on that very day to Black people. “America is false to the present, and solemnly binds herself to be false to the future. Standing with God and the crushed and bleeding slave on this occasion…” (8) Americans claim that they adhere to the bible and the constitution but still allow slavery to be practiced throughout the country. Many of my audience will say “it is just in this circumstance that you and your brother abolitionists fail to make a favorable impression on the public mind.”(8) The significance of this quote is that no matter what the abolitionist argue about it’s always contradict with other issue of the matter. The truth of the matter is that slavery is plain to see. It’s wrong no matter whatever way Americans try to justify it.
What does the Fourth of July mean to the American slave you ask? Douglas answers with this: “a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him your day is a sham…” (10) Everything that Americans believe they are proud of Douglas argues it’s the opposite to what an American slave believes. That America is the most veil of places on the earth. “Is this the land your fathers loved, the freedom which they toiled to win? Is this the earth whereon they moved? Are these the graves they slumber in?” (12) Is what the forefathers that created the declaration is this what they solely died for? To disrespected by that which they sought so deeply.
I believe one particular quote toward the end of his speech speaks towards his ethos of the entirety of the speech; “The existence of slavery in this country brands your republicanism as a sham, and your subjective Christianity a lie.” (17) The very fact that all these politicians say democracy is for the people and that Americans represents the people is a mockery to all black Americans. Douglas constricted this speech to align with his ethos. He briefly went over and commemorated the forefathers of America for their achievements and showed many instances on which their freedom was sought. He went into deep lengths of depicting what George Washington and those great men did to escape oppression. He then referenced the bible and other reputable sources that Americans believe that they follow so solemnly but mock knowingly. Tying it all off on a vivid image of what that great day to Americans mean to the American slave. How it’s a mockery of everything that Americans and the forefathers stood for. It was most unjust. He believes the celebration and ignorance of the issue at hand pushes black Americans away from white Americans.
In conclusion with the speech that Frederick Douglas prepared for this monumental event in history. It sparked a much-needed conversation in the united states. Slavery is wrong and should be corrected. It also sparked people’s interest like Abraham Lincoln who eventually ended slavery for good. I think this speech was pivotal it allowed the country to truly see what they were doing and how wrong it really was. To say you love and follow god and everything him and the forefathers of the country believed and stood for was put to the test. “What to the slave is fourth of July?” was brilliant speech that forever changed America for the better of the society. It paved the way for today’s society Frederick Douglass would be proud.
Word count: 1636
Works cited
“What to the Slave is the fourth of July?” Fredrick Douglas (1852)