Question

In Frederick Douglass's view, how were slaves, in their desires for freedom, closer to the founding ideals than the whites who celebrated the Fourth of July but preserved slavery?

Answer 1

Frederick Douglass (1818 - 1895) was considered to be fiery orator whose speeches often were published in many abolitionist newspapers. He was born a slave who later during the antebellum period became a central figure as a nationally recognized abolitionist orator . Douglass had been invited for delivering a speech on what the Fourth of July meant for black population in America, and although the first part of the speech appreciates what the founding fathers did for the nation, however speech soon it turns as a condemnation of the American society's attitude toward slavery. Throughout making his speech and life, Douglass advocated equal rights and justice, and the citizenship for blacks. In his speech he stated that although gathered to celebrate the Fourth of July, however the country is still like a young child, and needs the positive change towards slavery. Douglass speech implies that future generations will consider probably the anti-slavery stance to be reasonable and patriotic because the inhuman act cannot be considered divine.