Women In Frederick Douglass

Chelsea Garcia
English III- 1st
Mrs. James
5th March 2014
Treatment and Roles of Women
A man who fought for his rights, thought himself the knowledge to freedom, and wrote a book, Frederick Douglass. He was on the slaves that couldn’t deal with the fact that his race accepted to be tormented and treated terribly. He knew he had to do something to revise this so he then on went to teaching himself varieties of things and sooner than later, he ended up with his very own narrative that is throughout the world. In the ‘Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass’, he first discusses his life time and what lead to his narrative, and also explains the treatment and roles of women by using anecdotes, victimization of female slaves, and description
of what roles they accepted to do.
“‘Frederick Douglass’, himself a fugitive from slavery, help unquestioned authority in the abolitionist movement. He spoke out forcefully, praising the contributions of women to the abolitionist struggle” (Garza 27). As a kid, Douglass saw slavery wrong from the day he was separated from his mother. Treated extremely poorly as he did nothing wrong, he’s always wonder why they would treat him so poorly? As he grew, he then started to understand why he had to succeed in knowledge knowing it’d be a pathway to the road of freedom. Gaining knowledge from three little white boys, letting him review their notes and homework, no one knew Douglass became capable of this but indeed he was. He had no rights nor did any other slave including women. Douglass witnessed many frightful things. He didn’t only stand up for his rights but also other African Americans due to the fact he saw nothing different from his race and white people... Why they had to serve and satisfy white people while they continued to treat them poorly and not give them the food, shelter and respect they deserved as a whole including women who have accomplished in segregation. By the 1830’s, women became known to “separate spheres” for the sexes restricted the role of women in social reform. Although many, capable to work in religious, charitable, and educational organizations, still considered to do something about slavery right away (Bankston 6). [Another famous women] Lucy Stone supported Frederick Douglass because he fought for the women’s rights and also supported the partial victory although he pleaded with assembled delegates (Garza 41). Lastly, another woman who agreed to fight for their rights also was Maria Stewart. “Maria Stewart, a journalist and women’s rights activist, having to become brave and stand up [because] women in that time accepted terrible treatment” (Straub 307). Straub states, “In addition, Stewart, probably the first black women to lecture on women’s’ rights [and considering] she became one of the early advocates of black pride, racial unity, and self-reliance” (Straub 301). Due to all of this, he became known for his narrative.
Now as we know, Douglass was separated from his mother as an infant, slaves weren’t able to meet with their birth mother.
How could someone separate a mother and her child just because they’re slaves? They never really choose this type of life, they just got extremely unlucky. Women had no freedom, no right to do anything. Frederick saw this very disturbing, the fact that women would get beat for no reason, murdered with no respect left, dead just as a burning wood just there left to rot. This was unfair, this couldn’t have been right. In his narrative, Douglass tells many anecdotes which he has witnessed, like his aunt that got beat to death just for having another relation to another person. Even if she disobeyed his orders, what gives her master the right to beat her brutally for such a small reason? Masters would beat their slaves for any little reason, mostly the women. Frederick used all these anecdotes to show how poorly women got
treated.
Second, Douglass also talked about the victimization of women, he clearly states in the introduction of his book, “female slaves as victims and symbols of the unnaturalness of slavery” (Douglass 7) Again, he relates this to his anecdotes but also puts in the obvious statement that yes, women accepted to be treated poorly and sadly he has witnessed it himself. Women couldn’t do much besides work, work while their masters would just sit back and relax. They got treated like victims, victims of a horrific crime when really, they emphasized to be obedient, and respectful. They never got the treatment or appreciation they deserved, although they worked so hard for it.
Lastly, he discusses the idea that women demonstrated to only do certain things such as: clean for anyone, cook for anyone as master said, care for other children. According to Raboteau, “Women were assigned to care for young slave children (and sometimes white children also), and gave them their first instruction in Christian prayers, songs, and stories” (Raboteau 52). In a way, they actually enjoyed caring for these children due to them being the only entertainment they ever got to establish around. Macht states that, “The females are principally in manufacturing cloth, in cooking, collecting berries, etc., and with regard to food and living in general have not a much harder lot than their mistresses” (Macht 55) Here you see women’s roles weren’t able to be enjoyable or exciting, but only exhausting and unfair. These women worked so extremely hard and for nothing, they never got the care, food, or life they even halved deserved. Douglass knew he had to do something so he did and I would say has accomplished various things he would have wanted.
Now throughout this paper I have explained, discussed and told from Douglass’ point of view on these topics as an unfair treatment and roles women got.
Douglass explained and described his early lifetime and what lead to his narrative. He’s related anecdotes of poor treatment, the victimization, and roles women had done. Now, I would say that Douglass is indeed a very intelligent man due to him accomplishing many things others couldn’t he understood what the key to freedom was. It was knowledge, and that knowledge got him to write his famous book that is considered a narrative to be called ‘The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.” (Word Count
1,072)

Works Cited
Bankston, Carl L. African American History. Pasadena, California: Salem Press, 2006. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 6 Mar. 2014. <http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail.html>.
Douglass , Frederick. “The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.” Prestnick House. Delaware: 2004.
Garza, Hedda. "Barred From the Bar". Division of Grolier Publishing. Connecticut: 1996.
Macht, Norman and Mary Hull. "The History of Slavery". Lucent Books. California: 1997.
Raboteau, Albert. "African American Religion." Oxford University Press. New York: 1999.
Straub, Deborah. "African American Voices." U*X*L. USA: 1996.