Slave for Life: Freederick Douglas

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Recommended: Frederick Douglass and the influence he had on slavery

Slave for “Life”
"You will be free as soon as you are twenty-one, but I am a slave for life! Have not I as good a right to be free as you have?"1 Frederick Douglass pondered the question of freedom. Like other slaves, he had no recollection of freedom. This was not because he had forgotten, but because he never experienced it. He doubted becoming free. That was until he endured a quest toward freedom. Douglass did not always have a thirst for freedom. However, once he developed a desire for knowledge, his thirst became clear.
What was Frederick Douglass’s early life like?
Frederick Douglass was born a slave in Tuckahoe, Talbot County, Maryland. He was raised by his grandmother, Betsey Bailey. Throughout childhood he never met a slave who knew their age or birthday. 2 However, his master once said he was about seven in 1835, which would make him born in 1828.3 There were few slaves who knew their parents. However, ones who did had a minimal relationship. Frederick Douglass was not much different because he knew who his mother was. His mother was Harriet Bailey. He was separated from her as an infant.4 This separation may have been made so slaves would not develop a sense of self. Developing this led to gaining knowledge. Therefore, they believed it led to uncontrollable slaves.
Douglass did not see his mother often because she lived twelve miles away as a field hand. Due the distance, she traveled at night to see him. During the night, she would put him to sleep and little communication occurred.5 The bond between mother and son had not been broken because it never began. Therefore, his mother died without having a strong relationship.
Although he knew exactly who his mother was, he did not know who his father was. All he knew w...

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...erick Douglass is a key to the abolitionist movement. This is because he writings and his views changed the way people think. His stories actually happened to him. These stories opened up many people’s eyes and left a major impact. He showed what it was like to be a slave in both the city and in the country. This book showed the trauma he still went through even after he was free. He was free physically but mentally he was not free. During the abolitionist convention he wanted to speak but could not. Although he was free, he was not mentally free and he never would be free. Everyone needs to understand the events that took place in society at this time. There is not a better person for the job then Frederick Douglass. He would still have all the memories and the trauma till he died. Therefore when he said “I am a slave for life”, he really meant it, freedom or not.

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