Where did Frederick Douglass give his 4th of July speech?
On July 5, 1852, Douglass gave a speech at an event commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence, held at Rochester’s Corinthian Hall. It was biting oratory, in which the speaker told his audience, “This Fourth of July is yours, not mine.
How did Frederick Douglass impact America?
Frederick Douglass has been called the father of the civil rights movement. He rose through determination, brilliance, and eloquence to shape the American nation. He was an abolitionist, human rights and women’s rights activist, orator, author, journalist, publisher, and social reformer.
How did abolitionists view the Constitution?
Before the 13th Amendment was added to the Constitution in 1865, formally ending slavery in the United States, many abolitionists had argued that slavery was already inherently unconstitutional. This split between abolitionists’ views of the Constitution was more than a legalistic debate.
What rights did Frederick Douglass fight for?
Born a slave, Douglass escaped to freedom in his early twenties. He fought throughout most of his career for the abolition of slavery and worked with notable abolitionists like William Lloyd Garrison and Gerrit Smith. However, Douglass’s fight for reform extended beyond the fight for abolition.
What does freedom mean to Frederick Douglass?
Douglass exemplified a commitment to a version of freedom that recognized citizenship, promoted equal justice, and respected voting rights. Likewise, he also supported equal rights for immigrants, universal public education, and the end of capital punishment.
How Frederick Douglass got his freedom?
Frederick Douglass escaped from slavery on September 3, 1838, aided by a disguise and job skills he had learned while forced to work in Baltimore’s shipyards. Once Douglass made the harrowing train trip to Philadelphia he was able to move on to New York City. “My free life began on the third of September, 1838.