Frederick Douglass Was An African American Slave In The

Frederick Douglass was an African American slave in the 1840’s who shared his struggles in his narrative in order to show how he succeeded and achieved his goals that were seemingly impossible for a slave. Douglass was one of the few slaves who safely escaped, and was given the opportunity to speak publicly about his experiences. This was a way for him to truly share his horrific experiences he endured as a slave, but to also share his daily struggle of cruelty because of his race. By sharing his story, Douglass has shaped the lives of future generations of African Americans and shown what it means to rise above it and make something of himself, and to never give up. As a slave, Frederick Douglass had no freedom whatsoever. Whomever was†¦show more content†¦Auld had completely changed, she had gone from â€Å"†¦a woman of the kindest heart and finest feelings† (57) to a nasty, wretched woman, who had taken the ownership of a slave too far. â€Å"†¦th is kind heart had but a short time to remain such. The fatal poison of irresponsible power was already in her hands, and soon commenced its infernal work.† (57) Now that Douglass had the skills to read and spell, he had an advantage that most, if not all, other slaves did not have. He had an upper hand on the white plantation slave owners that many did not have, either. Later on, Douglass had used his skills in order to learn what certain things were and what was going on around him. â€Å"Hearing the word [abolition] in this connection very often, I set about learning what it meant. The dictionary afforded me little or no help.† (68) Douglass now had the skills to write and to also go off and find what this term had meant in relation to himself and the other slaves that he had known; no other slave would be able to complete this task. â€Å"Going to live at Baltimore laid the foundation, and opened the gateway, to all my subsequent prosperity.† (56) Douglassâ₠¬â„¢ move to Baltimore was a positive experience in slavery to freedom that influenced his life tremendously because it gave him an advantage with his owner(s) and it helped him eventually reach the ability to escape. As a slave, you shouldShow MoreRelatedFrederick Douglass : African American Freedom Struggle888 Words   |  4 PagesFrederick Douglass became a vital figure for the African American freedom struggle during the 1860’s with the help of the abolitionist movement. Before becoming a famous spokesman Douglass was just like every other African American slave, attempting to find a way to freedom. 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