Thursday, March 5, 2020

Frederick Douglass Defying Odds

I had previously learned about Frederick Douglass in middle school and into high school, but he was never taught in the detail that he deserved. Since being at High Point University, I have learned a great deal more about this historical icon. My sociology courses, such as media representations and black American voices, dove deep into his life and the impact not only that he had on the Black community, but also the influence he had on the realm of journalism.

Douglass was born into slavery in 1818 and escaped it 20 years later. As a black man that spent most of his life in this horrific confinement, one would think he knew nothing of how to read or write, but he defied odds. Douglass was clever and he used his cleverness discretely to gain an education from his white "friends." He traded them things to teach him how to read and write. Over the 20 years, he became very bright and surprisingly literate.

Douglass shocked many, especially whites, with his ability to write so eloquently. In my black American voices class we read his autobiography and it went into great detail about his not-so-normal life. It really opened my eyes to his daily struggle and how he truly defied all odds. 

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