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An essay on why it is important to celebrate black history month
Benjamin Franklin in the American Revolution
Benjamin Franklin contributions to the American culture
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John Hope Franklin, born January 2nd 1915, was an African-American historian who dedicated his life to the teaching and studying of American history and racial politics, especially that of Southern America. An avid promoter of the teaching, studying and presentation of American history as well as the preservation and access of its materials, Franklin died March 25th 2009. A leading scholar on black American history, Franklin often cited historians as being influential in shaping policy in America and he paved the way for other black scholars. ‘He became chair of Brooklyn College's history department in 1956, thus making him the first black scholar to be appointed department head at a mostly white college.’ This event, such a great achievement for an African-American academic, demonstrates the influence of Franklin on History and he was greeted with much admiration in the press. He also dedicated much of his life to the civil rights movement and combined his knowledge of history to affect change. For example in 1954, Franklin served on the team that helped develop the case that led to the ending of the legal segregation of black and white children in public schools.
Franklin always claimed to have had many personal challenges in his early year that had influenced his writing and what he was trying to achieve as a historian. This is reflected in this quote from the first paragraph of his autobiography, ‘Living in a world restricted by laws defining race, as well as creating obstacles, disadvantages, and even superstitions regarding race, challenged my capacities for survival. For ninety years I have met countless men and women likewise meet this challenge.’ This adds some insight into the specialisation of Franklin’s work which h...
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...ces, it is remarkable that the same essential characteristics seem to have prevailed in all of them.’ This concept of modern history follows the idea of comparing different societies existing in the same era and/or shared similar cultural conditions. It is evident in this quote that Franklin aims to explore this with the various African societies. Additionally the study of slavery especially in the comparative sense has been great in modern times and Franklin words suggest that this chapter will continue that tradition.
Works Cited
• Franklin, J.H. & Moss Jr, A.A. (1994) From Slavery to freedom. 7th Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc.
• [Online]. (2014) Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/john-hope-franklin-9301314. [Accessed 30th April 2014].
• Franklin, J.H. (2005). Mirror to America: The Autobiography of John Hope Franklin. New York: Hill & Wang
Sheila Kemp did an outstanding job in her short history of one of America’s most treasured -- arguably the most looked up to -- political heroes. Whether the Cockpit had as astounding an effect on Franklin’s political career, and the defining moment that pushed him on the path as an advocate for independence is up for argument. Did Kemp adequately protect her position: that Benjamin Franklin became a revolutionary after his incident at the Cockpit? The questions seem to be answerable morally, as well as historically. In truth, Kemp defended her position with as much armor as she could smith whilst writing her definingly short biography, but sometimes lost her argument in midst of a flood of historical information. Thus, in this review the writer seeks to find the ‘do’s and don'ts’ that Sheila Kemp wrote on the path of drawing her conclusion, and thus he seeks his own conclusion as to whether the cockpit truly represented Franklin’s most defining political moment of change.
Gordon S. Wood delves into Benjamin Franklin’s philosophical, political, and personal legacies in the biography, The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin. The book travels through Franklin’s experiments, his travels in Europe, and his role in the American revolution. The book begins when Franklin retires from business and becomes a gentleman. It was when he became a gentleman, it allowed him to analyze the world around him. “Indeed, he could not drink a cup of tea without wondering why the tea leaves at the bottom gathered in way rather than another,” a quote from Edmund S. Morgan’s book, Benjamin Franklin. Franklin spent a great deal of time in Britain before returning to America. When he returned, he threw himself into the American revolution, which sent him to France. After he accomplished his duties in France, he returned back home to America where he ran for public office.
At first glance, the book “my bondage and my freedom by Frederick Douglass appeared to be extremely dull and frustrating to read. After rereading the book for a second time and paying closer attention to the little details I have realized this is one of the most impressive autobiographies I have read recently. This book possesses one of the most touching stories that I have ever read, and what astonishes me the most about the whole subject is that it's a true story of Douglass' life. “ Douglass does a masterful job of using his own experience to expose the injustice of slavery to the world. As the protagonist he is able to keep the reader interested in himself, and tell the true story of his life. As a narrator he is able to link those experiences to the wider experiences of the nation and all society, exposing the corrupting nature of slavery to the entire nation.”[1] Although this book contributes a great amount of information on the subject of slavery and it is an extremely valuable book, its strengths are overpowered by its flaws. The book is loaded with unnecessary details, flowery metaphors and intense introductory information but this is what makes “My Bondage and My Freedom” unique.
Franklin, J., Moss, A. Jr. From Slavery to Freedom. Seventh edition, McGraw Hill, Inc.: 1994.
Morgan, Edmund S.. American Slavery, American Freedom: The Ordeal of Colonial Virginia. : George J. McLeod, 1975.
This story was set in the deep south were ownership of African Americans was no different than owning a mule. Demonstrates of how the Thirteenth Amendment was intended to free slaves and describes the abolitionist’s efforts. The freedom of African Americans was less a humanitarian act than an economic one. There was a battle between the North and South freed slaves from bondage but at a certain cost. While a few good men prophesied the African Americans were created equal by God’s hands, the movement to free African Americans gained momentum spirited by economic and technological innovations such as the export, import, railroad, finance, and the North’s desire for more caucasian immigrants to join America’s workforce to improve our evolving nation. The inspiration for world power that freed slaves and gave them initial victory of a vote with passage of the Fifteenth Amendment. A huge part of this story follows the evolution of the passage of the Fourteenth Amendment more acts for civil rights.
Franklin’s accomplishments arose from the influence of family, friends, education, and personal experience with being African American. He had a difficult task as an historian as he was writing about the neglected history of his minority group while being an advocate for the rights of this group. This could be perceived as a conflict of interest, but he thought of it as being beneficial. His method of writing was not to promote African Americans, but to interpret their involvement in the framework of American history. This was not something that had been done extensively and thoroughly before. Franklin set the stage and helped to create a widely accepted field of history.
Russell B. Nye: Fettered Freedom: Civil Liberties and the Slavery Controversy, 1830-1860. East Lansing, Mich., 1949
To understand the desperation of wanting to obtain freedom at any cost, it is necessary to take a look into what the conditions and lives were like of slaves. It is no secret that African-American slaves received cruel and inhumane treatment. Although she wrote of the horrific afflictions experienced by slaves, Linda Brent said, “No pen can give adequate description of the all-pervading corruption produced by slavery." The life of a slave was never a satisfactory one, but it all depended on the plantation that one lived on and the mast...
In The Autobiography, Benjamin Franklin recounts the many paramount experiences throughout his life that shaped him into great American figure he was known to be. On the opening page, Franklin reveals the book’s epistolary format by writing, “Dear Son,” going on to admit that he’s made some mistakes in the past and to recollect that past is a way to relive it. By divulging his desire to “change some sinister Accidents & Events” (Franklin 3) the author indicates how important it is for his son to observe as he amends his mistakes. Pride, virtue and vanity play a pivotal role in Benjamin Franklin’s life and the way he portrays himself to others. Instances occur where the author is shown gloating about his great accomplishments and he puts emphasis on his need to live a virtuous and morally perfect life. Throughout his story, Benjamin Franklin tells his son of his many virtuous acts and momentous achievements, motivating the question as to whether he seeks his own approval more so than the approval of his peers.
The author gives well-founded conclusions as they are based on a thorough analysis of the work of the writer. These findings have given me a chance to see the dynamics of Douglass’s identity under the influence of various factors, including the opposition between the two types of identity - the identity of a slave and the identity of a free man.
Northup, Solomon, Sue L. Eakin, and Joseph Logsdon. Twelve years a slave. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1968. Print.
This paper also seeks to compare the autobiographies of Benjamin Franklin and Fredrick Douglas. In an e...
A general theme in Franklin's writings is the differences between the private and public self and how the two interact. Parts One and Two of his Autobiography were written at different times and intended for different audiences. In Part One Franklin is speaking to his Son, (who was then the Governor of New Jersey) a public figure. It was started in 1771. Part Two was begun...
Knowles, H. J. (2007). The Constitution and Slavery: A Special Relationship. Slavery & Abolition, 28(3), 309-328. doi:10.1080/01440390701685514