citizens celebrate Independence Day/The Fourth of July with cheerful barbeques‚ music and fireworks; but African Americans seem to also delight themselves in getting together for the Fourth of July as well. They celebrate by having cookouts‚ laughing‚ socializing‚ lighting fireworks‚ and generally enjoying themselves together. But‚ what significance does the Fourth of July really mean for those who were slaves? This question is worth exploring. Frederick Douglas seemed to share the sentiments that the
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What to the Slave is the Fourth of July is a strong declaration of what July fourth and freedom means to Frederick Douglass. The people who asked him to speak speculated that he would speak of the wonderful freedom the fourth of July bring to him‚ but things took a turn in the opposite directs. Douglass conveys his opinions through his diction‚ rhetorical devices‚ and figurative language. Frederick Douglass used specific diction throughout his speech to convey his points. He uses words such as
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“What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” On July 4‚ 1852‚ Frederick Douglas delivered his “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” speech. At the time this speech was delivered‚ Douglas was merely an escaped slave who had been taught to read and write by his slave owner’s wife. He used his gift of literacy to fight for the God-given rights of both African-Americans and women. In “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July‚” Douglas cunningly uses bold diction and formatting in order to emphasize
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On Monday July 5th‚ 1852‚ Frederick Douglass captivated his audience at Corinthian Hall in Rochester‚ New York with one of the most powerful antislavery orations ever delivered‚ “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?”1 As an African American and former slave himself‚ Douglass was a crucial component to the Civil Rights movement and the abolishment of slavery. His concern for equal rights sprouted as early as twelve years old‚ often listening to debates among free blacks in Baltimore‚ as well as
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“What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” is a very moving piece about what the Fourth of July means to slaves. The speech was given by Fredrick Douglas in Rochester‚ New York‚ on July 5‚ 1852. His use of ethos‚ pathos and logos made this an extremely effective speech. The speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” opens with Frederick Douglas explaining how he was asked to give a speech on the Fourth of July. He then gives a brief statement about how hard his journey has been and now he
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“What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” – Rhetorical Analysis In 1852‚ Frederick Douglass was invited by the Ladies of the Rochester Anti-Slavery Sewing Society to speak at their Fourth of July celebration. As a very outspoken orator during the rise of the anti-slavery movement‚ he was well-known for his rousing speeches castigating the practice of slavery and had been doing so for over a decade. Douglass uses this opportunity to reveal to his audience the hypocrisy of not only their invitation
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mournful wail of millions!...” (Aufses‚ et al. 260). Frederick Douglas used this to open his “What‚ to a Slave‚ is the Fourth of July?” speech in an effort to describe the terror facing many slaves living in the United States. Eleven years prior‚ Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote his collection of essays‚ “Self-Reliance”‚ to teach others how to become self-reliant and further improve society. Just as Emerson had done fourteen years earlier and Douglas had done three years prior‚ Walt Whitman wrote and published
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everyone had the freedom that was so treasured. Some people had to keep fighting for the freedom long after the Revolutionary War. Frederick Douglas‚ in his speech‚ “What to the slave is the fourth of July” and Elizabeth Cady Stanton in her Declaration of Sentiments of the Seneca Falls Women’s Rights Convention‚ share stories and explain how two groups of people‚ slaves and women‚ fight for their individual freedom. Both authors wrote two different pieces for different people‚ but by comparing and
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important that every American reads “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” (1852) by Frederick Douglass because‚ it causes the reader to think about the Nation we live in as Americans. The speech makes the reader think about the patriotic holiday The Fourth of July‚ a day for celebration for all Americans of different ethnicities today. Unfortunately in the past not everyone could join the celebration‚ the Declaration of Independence‚ which was published in July of 1776 was written by the Founding
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all do what it was expected of. Frederick Douglass‚ however‚ did realize the results were unsatisfactory. The year was 1818 when Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey was born under his slave mother and master father into slavery in Talbot Country. Growing up a slave during the 19th century allowed Frederick Bailey to personally know the conditions of a slaves everyday life. Realizing his purpose‚ Frederick Bailey escaped from his master as a slave and vowed to serve for his fellow slaves by fighting
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