...Even though Frederick Douglass and Malcolm X are both African American men from two different time periods, both authors wrote with similar aspects. Douglass was a slave, while Malcolm was a criminal, both men did not have the ability to obtain a higher form education. It was their desire to learn that divided them from others around them, so the education that they gained changed them. Douglass and Malcolm both grew to understand the importance of an education, as well as being able to read and write, as well as any of the other simply basic parts of an education. In Frederick Douglass’ “Learning to Read and Write” and Malcolm’s “Learning to Read” we can find many similarities and many difference between then men. Frederick Douglass discusses the obstacle of learning to read, he states that “slavery and education were incompatible with each other” (Douglass, 2004, p.101). This quote shows us how hard it was to obtain an education for a slave. Obtaining an education wasn’t only hard for him but he had to do it in silence to protect him and his mistress, who had helped learn his education from his punishment. Although Malcolm X never was a...
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...There is no need to tell how happy I am by facing such an inspiring subject by comparing and contrasting two of the essays that I have read. Malcolm X “Learning to Read , with Frederick Douglass “Learning to Read and Write”. Both Frederick Douglass and Malcolm X set a part an extensive amount of details to describing the process by which they learned to read and write, and, as important, the obstacles that they they confronted. Douglass explains that he had to acquire his reading and writing skills in secretive and, in one of the Important quotes from “Learning to Read and Write” regarding literacy, it said, “he had no regular Teacher” (para .1), and his owner and his mistress consider slavery and education to be incompatible, Douglass equates illiteracy with living in a” mental darkness” (para.1) and, from an early age he devotes Himself to learn first how to read and then how to write by the help of the young white boys. Just as with X, Douglass thrills at the challenges of learning to read and write and, sees this as part of the road to his salvation from “mental darkness” that once enslave him. Similary, X responds responds to his passion to learn to read and write by creating the conditions that made such learning possible despite some challenging circumstances. While in prison, X teaches himself to read by going through dictionary page by page. In order to remember what he has learned, he copied every single page. He explained in one of the...
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...Although Frederick Douglass wrote several autobiographies during his lifetime, none continues to have the lasting literary impact of the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. From its publication in 1845 to its present status in the American literary canon, the Narrative has become one of the most highly acclaimed American autobiographies ever written. Published seven years after Douglass' escape from his life as a slave in Maryland, the Narrative put into print circulation a critique of slavery that Douglass had been lecturing on around the country for many years. Yet while the Narrative describes in vivid detail his experiences of being a slave, it also reveals his psychological insights into the slave/master relationship. What Douglass realizes that day is that literacy is equated with not only individual consciousness but also freedom. From that day, Douglass makes it his goal to learn as much as he can, eventually learning how to write, a skill that would provide him with his passport to freedom. What gives the book its complexity is Douglass' ability to incorporate a number of sophisticated literary devices...
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...mornings before classes because I concluded that talking to my “friends” and seeing who was posting what was more important than my schoolwork. This behavior began to cause my grades to plummet. Realizing what I was doing to myself, I decided to make a change. I do not check my social networking accounts as much as I used to and my grades reflect it! After long contemplation, I realized that I couldn’t be the only one that had this horrible habit of putting social media before education; someone else absolutely had to do it as well. I had many questions in my head about why such a thing would happen with others. “Do they do it because of boredom? What if they focus more on it because their friends do?” After testing 30 students at Frederick Douglass High School with the amount of time spent on social media as the independent variable and the condition of the grades as a result being the dependent variable, I found my theory to be correct. The more these students used social media, the lower their grades were. They reported that they spent time completing homework at school, spent more time on social media than they did completing schoolwork, and that they try to cram in work at the end of each quarter to try to bring their grades up. They also reported that...
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...Chapter 15 Reform and American Culture Powerpoint Questions Instructions: Use the Powerpoint presentation, American Nation textbook pages 432-454, and your class notes to answer these questions. 1. What is Social Reform? (Slide 2) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Define the term, predestination. (Slide 2) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. What did the Second Great Awakening stress? (Slide 3) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. What is a revival? (Slide 3) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. What is one political change in the country that encouraged reform? (Slide 4, See Political Origins on Chart) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. What did Dorothea Dix work hard to do? (Slide 5) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. What were debtors? (Slide 6) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. What was the Temperance Movement? (Slide 6) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 9. What...
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...Josh Franklin 2/10/2013 P.6 Harriet Jacobs Slave Narrative Harriet Jacobs, born in 1813, was born in North Carolina and was born into to slavery to her mistress Margaret Horniblow. Harriet spent the first six years of her life not knowing that she was indeed the property of Margaret and before her master died in 1825 she was taught how to read and sew by Margaret. Once Margaret passed away, Harriet was inherited by Margaret’s niece Mary Norcom. When Mary inherited her new slave she was only three years old. Since Mary was so young, her father, Dr. James Norcom, became Harriet’s new master. Under James , Harriet soon became aware of the harsh realities of slavery. For twenty years Harriet struggled with Dr. Norcoms sexual victimizations. During this time she grew close to her grandmother, a free slave, and with a attorney by the name of Samuel Sawyer who fathered Harriet’s two children. In an attempt to manipulate Dr. Norcom into selling her to his father, Harriet ran to Grandmother’s house. For those seven years, she spent her time raising her two children, reading the bible, and sewing. In 1837, Samuel Sawyer was elected into the House of Representatives and had purchased his two children but he did not free them. In 1842, Harriet escaped North and was determined to free her daughter from her father. For ten years Harriet lived as a fugitive slave but she was able to locate her daughter, Louisa, in Brooklyn and secured a home for both of her children in Boston. While...
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...Essay 1 Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs are two authors with very similar backgrounds. Both Douglass and Jacobs illustrate the tension involving being African American in a time where slaves did not have any rights, and when they were treated like property instead of a humans. Each of the slaves had different experiences with slavery, but one thing in common: share their accounts through autobiography on how slavery greatly changed their lives. The experiences, memories and treatment in any situation are viewed upon differently between a man and a woman. Obvious in the case of slavery, the two sexes were treated differently and so therefore their recollections of such events were-different Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs and the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass, were both written during the same time period. Both authors go into many aspects regarding the cruelty of slavery, but they still had their differences. During each of the author’s childhood they explain how it was for them. When Harriet was growing up in her, she was shielded from slavery. Her Father was accomplished carpenter, whose wish was to someday buy his children. “I was so fondly shielded that I never dreamed I was a piece of merchandise…” On the other hand Fredrick childhood was the opposite. Fredrick was born to a slave mother and an undisclosed white man. He did not know his age growing up he had to make educational guesses. ”I have no...
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...the right to reap the benefits of freedom it is expected from them to ask why they are denied such a right. It would then be expected for those in bondage to strive to attain their desired freedom. As seen in Douglass’s slave narrative and Rowlandson’s captivity narrative, the deprivation of their freedom lead them to exceed racial and gender boundaries in order to struggle for power that was denied to them by their environment and cultural expectations. Wherever an individual may be, their surrounding environment serves as a constant reminder of their status or role in society. Frederick Douglass was born a slave in the state of Maryland. Being a slave state, Maryland served as a constant reminder to Douglass of his status in the “peculiar institution.” His environment also depicted the suggested racial inferiority of African-Americans to their white slaveholders. This would cause Douglass from an early age to exercise his agency and question why this was so; “The white children could tell their ages. I could not tell why I ought to be deprived of the same privilege” (Cain 1022). His location in Maryland, however, did reduce the obstacles involved with escaping from slavery. Maryland shared a border line with the northern free-states and it also had a harbor that would provide ships as a means of escape. The knowledge of the close proximity of free-states would help keep the notion of running away alive in Douglass’s mind. An environment can also serve to test an...
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...slaves, humanitarianism, and the cruelty of the slave owners emphasized. All slaves were treated wrongfully in many ways. They were beaten, whipped, starved, and talked down upon. There wasn’t anything that they could do, but take the whipping. Not many slaves had the courage to stand up for what they believed in. But the few that did would fight back against their masters or run away. This is evident in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass when Frederick Douglass described when he escaped from his master. “After his encounter with the two Irishmen at the wharf, Douglass decided to run away to the North.” Douglass didn’t want to live a slave life anymore, and decided to escape to the north. "My long-crushed spirit rose, cowardice departed, bold defiance took its place; and I now resolved that, however long I might remain a slave in form, the day had passed forever when I could be a slave in fact. I did not hesitate to let it be known of me, that the white man who expected to succeed in whipping, must also succeed in killing me.” Frederick Douglass describes how he resisted in being whipped by Mr. Covey. He “raised his hand” against Mr. Covey to stop him from doing so. Writing narratives could’ve been a slaves’ way to promote humanitarianism. Often when someone shares a difficult time in their life it could be a plea for help and justice. They want people to know what has been done so they are aware and can help stop the injustice. In the Incidents in the Life of a Slave...
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...Perfection Era Antonio Ainsworth July 31, 2011 Hist/115 Carly Gesin Many historians also knew the Perfection Era as the Victorian Era. This era saw many great changes in history but none were more dramatic than that for the women of the era and the slaves. The Perfection Era saw the appearance of many women novelists. One of these great women novelists was Emily Bronte the author of the book Wuthering Heights. She was one of three sister novelists of the time and was considered the greatest of the three sisters. The record of Emily’s life was meager she was a very reserved and silent woman even though her novel was considered to be a dark work. Emily was not only a novelist but a poet as well. Even though Wuthering Heights was the only novel she released it is to this day considered on of the great works of history. “Soon after the release of her novel Emily’s heal started to fail her and on December of 1848 she died from tuberculosis.” (Biography.com, 2011). Even though her life was short thanks to Emily Bronte and other women novelists of the era women were seen as more than housewives and as working class women. With this development a new one emerged and that was what was considered feminine jobs versus what was considered masculine jobs. Another history changing event that happened during this era was the ending of slavery. For long time slavery was a major part of life in America but thanks mainly in large part to the abolitionist’s...
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...The Seneca Falls Convention Throughout history women were not treated the same rights as men. Women were thought of as property, wives and mothers. People believed that women were inferior to men. Women could not own property and most of their education consisted of learning how to run a home. Men thought that they were more intelligent than women therefore, they didn’t think a woman could hold political office or vote. Men also thought women should not be involved in legal issues and they were not allowed to hold jobs outside of the home. With the onset of the Industrial Revolution many women went to work in the factories. Also, many women also worked as domestic servants and teachers. This was the first time women began to work outside the home and they began to gain a sense of independence. This led them to demand equal rights. These changes for women during the early 1800’s led women to want equality and the women’s suffrage movement began (kelly, 2011). As the Abolitionist Movement to free the slaves became popular, the idea of equal rights for women began. It was the Quaker women who were the early organizers of these movements. They would organize secret women’s meetings which at the time could be very dangerous. This was just a small step. Women wanted to have equal rights in courts of law, in property matters and in civil rights. Women felt they should have the same rights as men to make decisions on their own and they didn’t want to be thought of...
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...CRITIQUE ON LEADERSHIP FUNDAMENTALS Leadership fundamental is an article that explains and describes the expectations from a leader. It explains the attributes and behaviors of leaders. The article also gives a foresight to how leadership fundamentals might be improved. Furthermore, it site examples of leaders with fundamental values, they include Jesus Christ, Frederick Douglass, Paul Miller (Orangeburg mayor), Steven Jobs (Apple), Julius Ceasar. This article is written by T&D columnist Howard Hill, the main and central idea of this article is to emphasize the fact that leadership fundamentals are acquired leadership essentials. According to article, leadership fundamentals combine past, current and emerging ideas into wholes. Personally, I think a leader is great, not because of his or her power ,but because of his or her ability to empower others, position does not make one a leader. Therefore, I think leaders must be diligent and responsive to fundamental values, skills and characters. They should possess role-model behavior and inspire those whom they lead. Leaders should work for the benefit of others and not for personal gain, they should handle themselves with their heads and handle others with their hearts, they should know the way, go the way and show the way, leaders should use their influence at the right times for the right reasons and finally leaders should take a little greater share of the blame and a little smaller share of the credit. In...
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...write from posters on cellar doors, white boys and men would help him. He would then preach and speak and soon become well known. He became United States Elector, United States Marshall, United States Recorder, United States Diplomat and accumulated some wealth. He wore broadcloth and didn't have to divide crumbs with the dogs under the table. That boy was Frederick Douglass." (Taken from a speach by Frederick Douglass promoting his autobiography.) Unlike most of us, Frederick Douglass, who was born in rural Tuckahoe, sometime in February of 1818, did not have a wonderful childhood. Douglass' mother was a slave and his father was thought to have been his mother's owner. After a few weeks with his mother in the cabin pictured above, Frederick was sent to live with his grandmother whom he affectionately called Grandmother Bailey. Grandmother Bailey raised children until they were old enough to work on Captain Aaron Anthony's plantation. At the age of six, Frederick was deemed old enough to work on the plantation. He was not strong enough to carry a hoe or do any picking yet, so the "Old Master" as the slaves called him, made Frederick sweep the walkways, clean the barnyard, drive the cows home and keep the chickens out of the...
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...Giovanni Mack English 201 Fredrick Douglass Is Fredrick Douglass legacy one that is historical or off or his literacy? Some people say that his legacy his based off historical and some people think because of his writing. I think his legacy based off of both because both skills made him who he is to African Americans today. Fredrick Douglass was a former slave who played a major role as civil rights activist during the time of the Civil War and the Reconstruction that followed. His experience as a former slave enabled him to gain sympathy for his cause, and he was very influential in the attainment of rights for African Americans. A great orator, his speeches had a great impact on abolitionists and further inspired them to fight for the freedom and equality of blacks. People compared him to another Martin Luther King of the 19th century. In his literacy life his speeches and his publications are a part of American culture history and mostly African American literature and politics. Fredrick Douglass has written 3 autobiographies and they are looked as some of the strongest influences in the slave narrative literary genre. In his autobiography he tells learned how to write from the white children in the neighborhood and by also observing the writing with men he worked with. He quoted that "knowledge is the pathway from slavery to freedom. He stood...
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...the Life of Fredrick Douglass! ! In the Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass, Douglass highlights how barbaric and dehumanizing the act of slavery, and how difficult it is to understand how such hurtful practices could have happened in the past. He also stresses the evils of slavery and how to oppose it. ! ! Best example of the dehumanization of slaves is when Douglass explains the preceedings following his foiled plotted escape from jail. He writes: “We had been in jail scarcely twenty minutes, when a swarm of slave traders, and agents for slave traders, flocked into jail to look at us, and to ascertain if we were for sale… And after taunting us in various ways, they one by one went into an examination of us, with intent to ascertain our value” (Douglass 38). Douglass portrays the slave traders and agents for slave traders as men auctioning farm stock instead of human. The slave traders and agents for slave traders do not consider the implications of their actions, rather this is business as usual and they are more than eager to acquire misbehaved slaves for a fraction of the cost. This is important because it furthers the idea that slaves were seen as a commodity and property rather and equals who can also feel and think. ! ! Douglass later has his first encounter with Mrs. Auld, and her kindnes was proof to the dehumanization of slavery. She had not experienced or known of the horrors of slavery before her encounter with Frederick Douglass and as such, she was able...
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