The Lion that Wrote History

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Wendell Philips discussed the importance of Frederick Douglass’ Narrative of the Life of an American Slave stating, “I am glad the time has come when the ‘lions write history’.” Douglass was the lion that proved the undermined capabilities of African Americans. The demand for free labor created an economic foundation for America that caused many repercussions due to the methods used to instill it. Rising from slavery, Frederick Douglass became a human rights activist using his literary and rhetoric skills to move the abolition movement forward exposing the inequalities facing African Americans and other marginalized group.
From 1619 to the 19th century approximately 12.5 million African slaves were transported in ships ridden with diseases from their homelands to the Americas through the Atlantic slave trade (Gates). Of those 12.5 million, 10 million survived, but only 388,000 arrived in North America to take part in the establish institution of slavery in North America for the next 250 years as tools to gain capital (Gates). In North America slave labor was utilized in plantations for cultivating cash crops, one of which was cotton. In 1793 Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin increasing the production of cotton as well as increasing the need for slave labor. By the 1840s cotton became one of the main exports of the U.S., the South grew 60 percent of the world’s production and exported 70 percent to British textile industry (Was slavery). As the United States industrialized the economy boomed and slavery became a necessity. A system of oppression was imposed that the advantaged disguised as a blessing created by the altruistic superiors for the sub-human African race (Moss). Slavery was the foundation of the economy and the nation...

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...t and dehumanization of forced labor and racism and to acquiesce the injustices of slavery, they planted their roots and cultivated a culture through the double edged sword called slavery (Moss). Art flowed out through the minds of African Americans inspired by the history of oppression that caused an atmosphere of distrust, hatred, and feelings of inadequacy (Moss). Douglass’ narratives revealed the severity of the consequences of slavery. After his death the exclusion of marginalized groups in order to gain political and economic gain continued causing more hardships for African Americans. Douglass substantiated to the United States that the humans were considered substandard had the potential just not the opportunity. He represents the dogged strength and the double visions of African Americans have that allows them to see the world with the eyes of two cultures.

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