Lecture 3 - Douglass-transcript

Overview of Frederick Douglass' Life and Work

• Lecture introduces the significance of Frederick Douglass in 19th-century American writing.

• Reminder for students about the upcoming assessment due on March 21st.

American Slavery Context

• Racialization of Slavery: Slavery in America was distinctively racialized compared to historical slavery examples, such as those involving prisoners of war or criminals.

• Racial Pseudoscience: Mid-19th century saw a peak in racial pseudoscience, claiming a natural hierarchy among races to justify slavery.

• Abolition of Atlantic Slave Trade: Although the US Congress abolished the Atlantic slave trade in 1808, this did not end the internal practices of slavery or reduce the population of enslaved people.

• As of 1817, when Douglass was born, there were approximately 1.5 million enslaved individuals in the US.

Internal Slave Trade

• Douglass references the internal slave trade, which involved the forced movement of enslaved people within the US post-1808.

• Cotton Economy: The expansion of cotton production in the Deep South fueled the demand for enslaved labor, contributing to this internal trade.

• The geographical entanglement of Southern and Northern states, as well as European industrial needs for Southern cotton, underscores the complexity of American slavery.

Fugitive Slave Act of 1850

• The passage of the Fugitive Slave Act allowed for arbitrary detainment of runaway slaves by so-called fugitive slave commissioners.

• This act was part of the broader Compromise of 1850, an attempt to balance interests between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in the US.

• Acts of both overt and covert resistance by enslaved people remain significant in the discourse around slavery.

Abolitionism

• Definition: Abolitionism refers to a movement with various thoughts aimed at ending slavery.

• The US abolitionist movement was significantly influenced by earlier movements in Britain, especially concerning the abolition of the slave trade.

• The rise of periodicals such as The Emancipator (1820) and The Liberator (1831) fueled abolitionist thought and activism.

• Anti-slavery societies, such as the New England Anti-Slavery Society and the American Anti-slavery Society, played crucial roles in abolition efforts.

Douglass' Life Journey

• Early Life: Douglass was born as Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey in Maryland in 1817 and learned to read thanks to the wife of his owner.

• Escape to Freedom: In 1838, Douglass escaped slavery and became a prominent speaker for the abolitionist movement.

• He published his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave in 1845, gaining significant attention and recognition.

• Douglass eventually established his own newspaper, The North Star, in Rochester, New York, which served as a platform for abolitionist ideas.

July 4th Speech Context

• On July 5th, 1852, Douglass delivered a keynote address titled What to the Slave is the 4th of July? at the invitation of the Rochester Ladies' Anti-Slavery Society.

• This speech serves as a critical statement on American freedom and the hypocrisy inherent in the celebration of Independence Day from the perspective of enslaved individuals.

• Genre: The speech is regarded as a powerful example of oratory, employing rhetorical strategies to persuade and engage listeners.

• Douglass uses second-person narration to create a direct confrontation with his audience, contrasting their freedom with the plight of slaves.

Rhetorical Strategies in Douglass' Speech

• Rhetoric of Confrontation: By addressing his audience directly, Douglass emphasizes the disconnection between their celebration of Independence Day and the reality of slavery.

• Standpoint Theory: Douglass articulates the 'slave's point of view,' which challenges prevalent ideologies and asserts the validity of enslaved individuals' experiences.

• Denunciation of American Hypocrisy: Douglass confronts his audience with their national inconsistencies, positioning them as hypocrites for celebrating freedom while condoning slavery.

• Imagery and Spectacle: Douglass evokes powerful imagery to elicit sympathy from his audience and compel them to confront the moral implications of slavery.

• Use of Allusion: Douglass engages with classical rhetoric and historical texts to underscore his points and connect his message to broader American ideals.

Legacy of Douglass and American Discourse

• Douglass critiques contemporary American Christianity for its inaction around slavery, positioning himself within a tradition of American moral discourse.

• His speech engages with various literary and historical references, creating a rich intertextual landscape that underscores his arguments.

• Douglass' work fosters a critical dialogue about the consistency of American identity and the persistent realities of injustice.

Conclusion and Continued Exploration

• The lecture invites students to reflect on Douglass' rhetorical methods, questions posed in his speech, and the implications of his insights for understanding American history and identity.