What Role Does Literacy Play In Frederick Douglass's Life

Brady Ricks

T-Th 8:00-9:20

What role did literacy play in his life? How did it affect his life? How did control of literacy affect the slave system?

Fredrick Douglass lived a very painful and tiring childhood, he was separated from his mother Harriet Bailey at a very young age. “It is a common custom, in the part of Maryland from which I ran away, to part children from their mothers at a very early age” (narrative 42). Often young children are given to an older woman to be taken care of, since the woman is no longer able to help in the field. Although the children are not let out to do field work until they are of proper age, they are not taught to read or to write while they are growing up. This is the case for all enslaved African Americans. Their lack of ability to
read or to write hinders them in their ability to talk correctly to their masters or to one another. Slaves feel worthless to white children do to the fact that white children are taught to read and write at a young age. Most slaves do not know of their actual birthdate due to none of them having the ability to see or even be able to read their birth certificates. Literacy played an enormous part in Frederick Douglass’s life. Douglass was shipped to Baltimore where he lived with Master Hugh’s family. While living there “my mistress was kindly commenced to instruct me” she helped Douglass learn his ABC’s and to read and write (narrative 65). His mistress however soon began to “practise her husband’s percepts” (narrative 66). This led to Douglass being punished more by his mistress than by Master Hugh’s. By this time Douglass was nearly twelve years old and the thought of being a slave for life began to bear heavily upon him. He began to read as often as possible, he came upon a book entitled “The Columbian Orator.” He began to read it every opportunity he seized; he soon realized that the book was representing a slave that had run away three times from his master. It showed how the slave was able to neglect his master by using words of a higher vocabulary to help him get out of sticky situations. This lit a fire in Douglass that helped him stay focused on learning how to read and to write. As Douglass’s reading and writing improved, he began to help teach other slaves how to read and write. Learning to read and write helped Douglass often when talking to his master.
Reading books or a newspaper helped strengthen his vocabulary, giving him the ability to not back down to his masters anymore by them trying to bewither him with their large vocabulary. Douglass’s idea of learning how to write came when he was working in Durgin and Bailey’s ship-yard. He saw them applying the letters “L”, “S”,”L.F.”,”S.F.”,”L.A.”, and “S.A.” (Narrative 70) on the boards so they would be placed on the appropriate side of the ship that it belonged on. In seeing them do this, he thought he would like to do it so “he immediately commenced copying them, and in short time was able to make the four letters named” (narrative 70). In learning how to read Douglass was then able to learn of what date it was after he left Baltimore in March, 1832. This helped him for the remainder of his life track how old he was, even though he was not precise on his actual age. Literacy effected Douglass by helping him become stronger as an enslaved African American, who would go and help other slaves learn to read and write. Through helping others learn to read and write he gained a sense of accomplishment in his
life. Control on literacy played a major role in hindering the enslaved African Americans from learning to read and write. Without the knowledge of knowing how to read and write, slaves were for the most part “dumb” as many white slave owners would say. They could not read, and could not write, “All they were good for was plowing fields and picking crops” (narrative 82). While slaves were working on the plantations, not knowing how to read or write may not have seemed like a bad thing to many, but as the slaves became free or escaped out in to the real world it was no longer ok to be illiterate. Often at times free slaves may have been approached by a white man or someone of higher authority then they and they often were not able to respond due to the lack of literacy bestowed upon them throughout their childhood years and early adult life. Frederick Douglass on the other hand was lucky to have had a “mistress who commenced in helping him learn his ABC’s” (narrative 65) until her husband stopped it. Douglass continued to pursue his dream of learning to read and write and help other enslaved African Americans learn to read and write. Without the help of Douglass most of the slaves he worked with would have grown up to be illiterate. Control on literacy was a crucial thing for slaves, and was not fair for young children who one day would be free. Frederick Douglass’s willingness and desire to help slaves learn to read and write, helped him become the man he was, and helped him gain a feeling of accomplishment. Douglass went on to escape slavery, in doing this he married Anna Douglass and moved to New Bedford. While on the steam-boat Douglass and his wife “lacked the necessary money to pay our fare, we decided to take seats in the stage, and promise to pay when we got to New Bedford” (narrative 114). They were encouraged to do so by two gentlemen, residents of New Bedford, this gave Douglass assurance of their friendliness. In being literate Douglass was able to talk to the men and become friends with them, all the schooling he had as a child from his mistress and the constant reading of books all paid off for him in the end. Douglass went on to make memorable speeches for the abolishment of slavery. Douglass settled in New Bedford and was asked if he would like to receive a copy of the “Liberator” this became his “meat and my drink” (narrative 119). As time went on he often went to anti-slavery meetings and not often said anything, but simply just listened, he did so because “often what he wanted to say was said so much better by others” (narrative 119). On August 11th, 1841 in Nantucket, “I felt strongly moved to speak, the truth was I felt myself a slave, and the idea of speaking to white people weighed me down. I spoke but a few moments, when I felt a degree of freedom, and said what I desired with considerable ease. From that time until now, I have been engaged in pleading the cause of my brethren-with what success, and with what devotion, I leave those acquainted with my labor to decide” (narrative 119).