The Self-Made Freeman Frederick Douglass’s American Rhetoric of “Liberty and Justice for All”

Frederick Douglass ( ) Representative ______ man –Or, exception to the rule? The “Newtonian problem” – best PR gets the credit –Is he really “black” in the same sense as Sojourner Truth et al? Succeeds by modeling self on schoolbook for whites –Columbian Orator –“Dialogue Between a Master & a Slave”

Remanufacturing the Representative Man Named himself at age 20 Orator in a new American tradition –Commanding presence –“It could speak.” –Willing to risk public fugitive status, & low birth 1845 (age 27): 1 st edition of Narrative –“Written by Himself”: self-mythologizer like Franklin –Unlike Franklin, not member of the “club” –Attacked, beaten, dragged from whites-only railcar Fled to Europe after publication; almost tossed overboard –“Prejudice against color is stronger North than South” Met little prejudice in Europe – almost color-blind

The “Tool” of the White Abolitionists? 1841: Garrison hears him speak on Nantucket 1848: FD moves family to Rochester NY –Garrison viewed him as hired performer, not equal – not trusted with money, responsibility –Home becomes underground rail station, 1872 arson –Attends Seneca Falls convention, votes for suffrage Founds newspaper, North Star –Business run by white Englishwoman –Refuses to denounce U.S. Constitution

Lincoln’s gadfly Stops short of advocating open rebellion –Invited to join John Brown’s 1859 raid, declines –I could live for slaves; John Brown could die for them” Denounced Lincoln for putting Union over ending slavery –“moral blindness... Helpless imbecility” –Recruited 100 soldiers for 54 th Mass regiment –Met w/Lincoln to complain about ½-pay & no black officers, risk of death and enslavement Works for 15 th Amendment against “murderous South” & “malignant North”

Douglass Postbellum 1872: Moves to Washington DC –President of failed Freedman’s Bank –City marshal, hires blacks –Buys house formerly off limits to “blacks & Irishmen” –Returns to Eastern Shore, reunites with Lloyds Apologizes to Thomas Auld for story about grandmother – not an Auld slave. –1882: Wife dies, marries Helen Pitts, white –1889: ambassador to Haiti

Precursor of Rosa Parks, MLK With Ida B. Wells, speaking tour against lynching in South – : 850 Southern blacks killed by mobs –Makes her his protégée –1894: “Lessons of the Hour” speech at DC church “when a black man commits a crime the whole race is made to suffer” “the rights of the humblest citizen are as worthy of protection as are those of the highest... Put away your race prejudice, banish class prejudice... Your Republic will stand forever” 1895: dies at home while telling wife of women’s rights rally he had just attended