She holds a doctorate in American history for Howard University, and is currently expanding her dissertation Frederick Douglass and the Making of American Exceptionalism into a book. The history of Western democracy and republicanism places a firm emphasis on justice and social progress, which Douglass argued must have subsequently influenced the general ideas of America’s founding documents. Douglass believed that the Constitution of the United States should be protected and respected but he certainly thought that slavery was an abomination and should be stopped. The great debate among abolitionists in the nineteenth century was whether or not slavery was a pro-slavery document. The amendments established that through the Constitution, the country’s central legal document, African Americans and all people were entitled to civil rights. "Though he does say that the Constitution, for instance, is still a 'glorious liberty document.' 1. Celebrities face backlash for jet-setting during pandemic. Douglass was a firm believer in the equality of all peoples, be they white, black, female, Native American, or Chinese immigrants. Social Studies. Almost immediately, he participated in abolitionist activities. What the Constitution means to Frederick Douglass. Yes. The Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States presented the first threat to the durability of the American Equal Rights Association. In 1852, he declared that the proper interpretation of the Constitution should always be construed toward freedom and natural rights despite the ambiguity of a particular situation. The point from which I am compelled to view them is not, certainly, the most favorable; and yet I cannot contemplate their great deeds with less than admiration. The United States Constitution specifically permitted slavery. How does Douglass maintain the order and coherence of the first sentence of this paragraph? - 4th of July. Enfranchised citizenship was of the utmost importance to Black people. Thus, for instance, the American Government and the American Constitution are spoken of in a manner which would naturally lead the hearer to believe that one is identical with the other; when the truth is, they are distinct in character as is a ship and a compass. Activists like William Lloyd Garrison that it was and that the United States required a fundamental rethinking of its charter. In 1841 he met Garrison, who would become his mentor. They also explore Douglass’ views of the Declaration of Independence—including that the principles expressed in the Declaration are eternal, but America does not live up to them in practice—as well as the Constitution. In his views on slavery and the Constitution, how does Douglass differ from his fellow abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison (“On the Constitution and the Union” ) and from Abraham Lincoln (Speech on the Repeal of the Missouri Compromise and First Inaugural Address )? Douglass believed that the Constitution of the United States should be protected and respected but he certainly thought that slavery was an abomination and should be stopped. In a speech before the Scottish Anti-Slavery Society in Glasgow, Scotland on March 26, 1860, Frederick Douglass outlines his views on the American Constitution. Phoenix—Born a slave in February 1818, Frederick Douglass rose to become one of the nation’s foremost intellectuals—one who deserves to be placed alongside the Founding Fathers as one of the creators of the country as we know it. Read the excerpt from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Initially, Douglass found himself at odds with his fellow Garrisonian abolitionists; later his support of the Fifteenth Amendment and Black male suffrage was opposed by some of his White female allies. The one may point right and the other steer wrong. Douglass wanted to make it clear: this was an emergency. He opposed socialism and other wealth redistribution schemes. When it became clear that the Fourteenth Amendment would exclude a suffrage component, the focus of the Fifteenth Amendment became suffrage. Not only does the Constitution not prohibit Joe D. Scrote from producing his own currency called Scrote Bux (it only comes in denominations of two), it also doesn't grant the U.S. government the right to produce paper money at all. manifest destiny . Douglass was invoking a principle of constitutional interpretation that holds that the text itself is all that matters, that the intentions of the framers are irrelevant. In the aftermath of the Civil War, Douglass was realistic rather than quixotic about the realities facing African Americans. Douglass was also a big believer in private property rights and the right of people to keep what they earn, because those things also are crucial to self-reliance. It is the birth day of National Independence, and of political freedom. 23. When an audience member objected to his claim citing Black women, Douglass countered, arguing that Black women were targeted because of their race rather than their gender.4 He eventually attempted to compromise during the meeting by submitting a resolution which agreed to welcome the Fifteenth Amendment while committing to efforts to gain rights without regards to gender.5 His proposal, however, was ignored. Much will be gained at the outset if we fully and clearly understand the real question under discussion. Christianity is of importance in Douglass's speech. He employs parallelism, a type of organization in which a writer places similar ideas in a similar structure. Douglass, for example, believed the “We the people” opening of the preamble of the Constitution encompassed African-Americans -- meaning they were similarly guaranteed to the “life, liberty and pursuit of happiness” outlined in the Declaration of Independence. Douglass publicly changed his stance on the Constitution in the spring of 1851. Photographs of him show a man of iron determination, with a leonine head and … Upon emancipation, universal suffrage was the next goal on the reform agenda especially among the abolitionists and women’s rights groups. A quick look at the presidency underscored their view. Stanton remarked in an editorial in 1868: “Think of Patrick and Sambo and Hans and Yung Tung who do not know the difference between a Monarchy and a republic, who never read the Declaration of Independence or Webster’s spelling book, making laws for Lydia Maria Childs, Lucretia Mott, or Fanny Kemble.”3 Editorials like Stanton’s were frequently featured in The Revolution and offered varying justifications to the resistance of some White women to the Fifteenth Amendment. Based on the Word Net lexical database for the English Language. To be an American man meant that you had the right to vote and hold office. New, more contagious COVID strain identified in 4 states Yet Douglass’ rebuke to both sides presents the way forward: Douglass does not pander to either, but is instead honest and challenges others to the same honesty. NO! See disclaimer. After the Dred Scott decision, Frederick Douglass said he sought to have Americans live up to the principles of the Constitution. He also changed his mind about Garrison’s call to dissolve the Union. [11] That sentiment was endorsed by his fellow abolitionist, Wendell Phillips; Ohio Senator Benjamin Wade; and African American activist John Mercer Langston. For Douglass, there was something greater at stake than simply obtaining the right to vote for Black men. For instance, Garrison and his supporters believed Congress’ limited powers to interfere in the domestic institutions of individual states was included to appease slaveholders in the South. The United States Constitution is the highest law of the United States of America.It was signed on September 17, 1787 by the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Later, it was put into effect, or ratified, by representatives of the people of the first 13 states. He wanted to convince the nation that the debts would be handled soon. on Frederick Douglass and the United States Constitution, Submit a Guest Post or Roundtable Proposal. The Constitution may be right, the Government is wrong. Why did Alexander Hamilton believe that the national bank was constitutional? He would later characterize the status of Black southerners as “in law free, in fact slave; in law a citizen, in fact an alien; in law a voter, in fact disenfranchised…It [government] imposes upon him all the burdens of citizenship and withholds from him all its benefits.” the duty of every American citizen to use the Constitution, Douglass challenged the country to reconsider who was a citizen, Black men wanted those same rights and privileges, ardent supporters of universal suffrage in the aftermath of the war, not secure the votes to support universal suffrage, did not protect African Americans from poverty, violence, or disenfranchisement, without the benefits of protection by law enforcement, On the Life of Black Abolitionist Anna Murray Douglass, Women’s Experiences during the American Civil War, Mass Incarceration and the Metaphor of Slavery, Blog Announcement: New Editors and Bloggers, Online Roundtable: Robert T. Chase’s ‘We Are Not Slaves’, Medicalizing Black Military Service in an Age of Global Imperialism. Why does the Constitution place so many obstacles in the way of majority rule? It was therefore the duty of every American citizen to use the Constitution and political processes at their disposal to bring the country in line with its founding intent. What, then, is the question? New book highlights Frederick Douglass’s embrace of the “self-made man” Posted on February 12, 2018. He further says, the constitution, in its words, is plain and intelligible, and is meant for the home-bred, unsophisticated understandings of … Frederick Douglass (1818–1895) was an escaped slave who joined William Lloyd Garrison as an abolition speaker and journalist. 1. Douglass, however, had long been recognized as a women’s rights man. Despite the conflict with friends and allies, he would continue to view the Constitution as the ideal to which the country had yet to fulfill. The United States Constitution has a powerful and enduring place in the career of Frederick Douglass. Frederick Douglass March 26, 1860 A Speech Delivered in Glasgow, Scotland …I proceed to the discussion. Douglas had constitutional thoughts, but these thoughts derived more from politics rather than legal training, morality or philosophy. By becoming a political abolitionist, Douglass challenged the country to reconsider who was a citizen and entitled to protection under the Constitution. What did he believe prevented Americans from living up to the Constitution? Frederick Douglass believed the United States Constitution was itself an anti-slavery document, a view that differed sharply from that of some abolitionists in the mid-19th century. Noelle Trent is the Director of Interpretation, Collections & Education at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee. The Republican Party could not secure the votes to support universal suffrage. The Constitution did not permit slavery. Upon emancipation, Black men wanted those same rights and privileges. position evolved throughout his lifetime. © 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Yet even at the height of the violence and disenfranchisement of Black people, Douglass found no fault with the Constitution. But first let me state what is not the question. Does Douglass believe that the United States Constitution is a pro-slavery or an anti-slavery document? Suffrage placed White men at the top of the American social hierarchy allowing them to influence the workings of American democracy. Douglass came to believe that documents recording the debates of the framers during the composition of the Constitution, as well as a straight reading of both that document and the Declaration of Independence proved the framers did not intend to preserve the institution of slavery. How does Douglass use religious references to bolster his claims, such as in the phrase "from the tomb of slavery, to the heaven of freedom"? Each author’s posts reflect their own views and not necessarily those of the African American Intellectual History Society Inc. AAIHS welcomes comments on and vigorous discussion about our posts. The passage continues: “I believe in individuality, but individuals are, to the mass, like waves to the ocean. What kinds of knowledge about themselves does he believe are kept from slaves, and why does he believe this is important. The United States Constitution specifically permitted slavery. The tension between the burden and benefits of citizenship characterized the ongoing battle for civil rights in the United States. Philadelphia, PA 19106. Listening to speeches given by Lincoln, it is clear that he intended all men in America to be free. Tanya Roberts has died after early, inaccurate death report. The argument that the Constitution is racist suffers from one fatal flaw: the concept of race does not exist in the Constitution. Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton started a weekly newspaper, The Revolution, to articulate their women’s rights agenda. An examination of Douglas’ thoughts on the Constitution needs the context of his lifelong competition with Abraham Lincoln, and the meteoric trajectory of his career. https://wjmi.blogspot.com/2014/03/frederick-douglass-on-constitution-and.html Douglass drew on the tradition of natural law in his argument against slavery. A former disciple now attacked the positions of his mentor—positions Douglass himself had defended in public for over a decade—and this generated tension between the two men. In the decades after the war, he was the most influential African American leader in the nation. Rather, he believed that freedom allowed individuals to reach their full capabilities. Frederick Douglass and the Fourth of July, by James A. Colaiaco, New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 256 pages, $24.95. The only mention of bills in Article I is in reference to prohibiting states from issuing "bills of credit." Douglass’s shift on the Constitution would inform the rest of his career. Much will be gained at the outset if we fully and clearly understand the real question under discussion. His purpose in the Fourth of … Douglass was enslaved in Maryland until escaping to New York City in 1838. It wasn’t until he was free and started to read that he became a student of our Constitution and our founding. The highest order of genius is as dependent as is the lowest.” Only after acknowledging that human beings are sub-ordinate within the cosmos and co-ordinate with one another does Douglass begin his celebrated tribute to self-made men. Frederick Douglass after reading the constitution he said, . They eventually parted ways when he rejected Garrison's pro-slavery view of the Constitution. And first a word about the question. Her work has appeared in "The Boston Globe," "The Boston Business Journal" and the "International Business Times." Frederick Douglass did not always believe the Constitution was an anti-slavery document. He believed that the aftermath of the Civil War was the time to advocate for Black citizenship and suffrage. and believe that the way to abolish slavery in America is to vote such men into power as well use their powers for the abolition of slavery. The reason that the Constitution … . If the Government has been governed by mean, sordid, and wicked passions, it does not follow that the Constitution is mean, sordid, and wicked. The date in February that reveals most powerfully the tension between race and the American founding was Feb. 9, 1849. During the Civil War he worked tirelessly for the emancipation of the four million enslaved African Americans. It was on this day that Douglass wrote in a … To him, the fortuitous events of his early life could not be random; rather, they were ordained by a benevolent divine power. Regardless of how old we are, we never stop learning. The Constitution would become the lens through which he would advocate for the freedom and natural rights of all people, African Americans and women. He soon became a prominent and successful orator and writer. Enfranchisement meant that Black men could contribute to American society by voting and holding office, but more importantly receive the economic benefits of American society. Follow her on Twitter @NoelleTrentPhD. The Fifteenth Amendment was ratified in 1870, granting African American men suffrage. Classroom is the educational resource for people of all ages. It is a slander upon their memory, at least, so I believe. Sign up to get the latest posts and updates. Douglass believes it’s the responsibility of the free states to liberate the enslaved people of the Southern states, and to extend and enforce guarantees of human rights for all inhabitants of all states. Here Douglass parallels the indignities slaves suffer in a series of infinitive phrases: “… to make men brutes, to rob them of their liberty,” etc. Why does Douglass state that “education and slavery were incompatible with each other”? But Assing was more than a lover; she was Douglass' intellectual partner. (Douglass believes that a person can't both be a Christian and a slave owner.). Frederick Douglass was inducted into the AERA as one of its three vice presidents at the organization’s first meeting in May 1866. He was also a believer in dialogue and in making alliances across racial and ideological divides, as well as in the liberal values of the U.S. Constitution . June 25, 2015 The 4th of July will soon be upon us in and around Baltimore, Charleston, and Ferguson – and all across the United States. https://wjmi.blogspot.com/2014/03/frederick-douglass-on-constitution-and.html Although Douglass originally shared Garrison’s belief that the Constitution's failure to prohibit the forced bondage of African-Americans made it a pro-slavery document, his views began to evolve after touring Europe and establishing his own newspaper, The North Star, in 1848. Douglass expands upon the basic point in the Smith letter in his celebrated speech on the Constitution at Glasgow in 1860. Douglass also wants the nation to re-evaluate what the founding fathers wrote into the constitution and I think it is key that he mentioned that nothing about slavery is mentioned in the constitution and therefore to support what it stands for would be to not support slavery. Hopefully, community members will take time to reflect with family and friends on the distances between our everyday actions and our highest ideals. The women’s rights movement in the United States had been strongly linked with the abolition movement. Douglass also says that if the residents of America believe that slaves are "men",: 342 they should be treated as such. ... "Though he does say that the Constitution, for instance, is still a 'glorious liberty document.' He continued to hold the Constitution in high reverence, stating that his life’s work had been to see the principles of liberty and humanity expressed in the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence fully realized without regard to race, gender, or religion. Douglass was a firm believer in the equality of all peoples, be they white, black, female, Native American, or Chinese immigrants. What does Douglas regret in his memories of his parents. Donald Trump, Republican nominee for president, does not believe in the United States Constitution.. That’s a strong statement, but it’s increasingly clear that it’s true. I will state it. But I differ from those who charge this baseness on the framers of the Constitution of the United States. However, the recent amendments created a new paradigm for Douglass. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism from Emerson College. The divergence of Douglass’ opinion from that of Garrison ended their friendship. The Constitution did not permit slavery. Douglass’s constantly reconsidered his ideas about the Constitution as the realities of Black life, especially in the South, changed. 525 Arch Street. A. In the remainder of Chapter Ten, Douglass gives numerous examples of his courage: intellectual, emotional, spiritual and physical. manifest destiny . He believes slaves are not allowed to know their birthdates or their parents in order to keep them ignorant and keep them from making emotional connections and from developing a restless spirit . According to Douglass, slavery also contradicted the creation story of the Christian Bible, which states God “hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth.” The Bible’s affirmation of universal brotherhood, according to Douglass, made it a natural law that would have affected the framers' drafting of the Constitution. The debate about suffrage for Black men severed ties between White suffragists and Black activists including Douglass. What did he believe prevented Americans from living up to the Constitution? Frederick Douglass' July 4th Oration, "the Constitution is a GLORIOUS LIBERTY DOCUMENT." Historians now believe that Douglass had an affair for over twenty years, from 1856 to 1881, with Ottilie Assing, a German journalist and political radical. 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