Douglass, Frederick, Western Reserve College, and African American Pamphlet Collection. The claims of the Negro, ethnologically considered: an address before the literary societies of Western Reserve College, at commencement. [Rochester N.Y.: Printed by Lee, Mann & Co., 1854] PDF. https://www.loc.gov/item/a17001155/.
Frederick Douglass’s speech directly responds to the racist notion that Black people did not deserve the same rights as white people because they are not “men” at all and picks apart the “science” and “reasoning” of this stance with his own logical arguments. He eloquently cites academics, history, and religion as he argues his case.
This transcript of Douglass’s commencement speech, delivered in 1854 at Western Reserve College, is presented online as images of a clipped pamphlet version as well as an easier-to-read pdf.
By July 1854, Frederick Douglass, a former slave, had escaped to the North and rose to prominence as an abolitionist. He published a memoir titled Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave in 1845, wrote for several newspapers, and was frequently sought out as a speaker on the subject of slavery and Black life in America.
- How does Douglass make use of logos, ethos, and pathos as he argues in favor of the humanity of Black people?
- How does Douglass make effective use of counterclaims?
- In what ways did Douglass appear to tailor this argument to a group of students about to graduate?
New York State Next Gen ELA Standards
11-12R3: In literary texts, analyze the impact of author’s choices. (RL) In informational texts, analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop. (RI)
- Students can unpack how Douglass responds to the various claims he aims to disprove and track what type of argument and evidence he uses to tackle each.
11-12R5: In literary texts, analyze how varied aspects of structure create meaning and affect the reader. (RL) In informational texts, analyze the impact and evaluate the effect structure has on exposition or argument in terms of clarity, persuasive/rhetorical technique, and audience appeal. (RI)
- Students can study Douglass’s structural choices throughout his speech and analyze their effectiveness. For instance, where Douglass decides to utilize direct quotes to capture the counterargument.
- Students can write their own speech fuelled by counterclaims and supported by a range of evidence. This could be followed by a thoughtful annotation of their own work, indicating where they specifically aimed to match Douglass’s tone, structure, or language choices.
- Students can annotate their own copy of the speech tracking Douglass’s use of logos, ethos, and pathos in his argument. Then, they can write a rhetorical analysis of what made the speech effective.
- Students who have read both the speech and Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass can participate in a Socratic Seminar comparing the argument, techniques, and ideas of each text.
This text could be challenged because Douglass directly quotes pro-slavery arguments, uses the word “negro” consistently throughout the speech, and refers to the bible in both his counterarguments and arguments. Hearing and/or discussing arguments in favor of slavery, or discussing slavery in general, may make some students uncomfortable without appropriate background and support.
- Excerpts from Douglass’s memoir, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave
- Douglass’ memoir also presents a strong anti-slavery argument via a narrative format.
- “What, to the American Slave, Is Your 4th of July?”
- This blog post on Loc.gov includes links to another of Douglass’ famous speeches as well as additional sources that provide context and further readings.
- Frederick Douglass: Crash Course Black American History #17
- This educational video, hosted by author Clint Smith, provides valuable background information about Frederick Douglass and his impact on the abolitionist movement.
- Frederick Douglass and the early social psychology of racial oppression
- This article, published in Elsevier and only accessible in its entirety through database access, unpacks Douglass’s “extraordinarily logical mind, breadth of social science knowledge, commitment to discover and expression of truth, and keen observation to analysis of race and gender relationships and scientific racism in the United States.”