Frederick Douglass From Slave To Abolitionists

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On April 6, 2013, Frederick Douglass- From Slave to Abolitionist's was published on YouTube. This film is a tribute to Douglass' life and legacy. It exemplifies how Frederick overcame great obstacles to obtain his freedom and the freedom of his fellow black men. The documentary gives us an insight into the horrors of slavery and the role that Frederick Douglass played in both, the overthrown of the institution of slavery, and in the American Civil War. At the beginning of the film, the director, Craig Haffner, presents a physical and psychological description of Douglass. Through his positive description, the viewer sees Douglass as a natural born leader, a hero par-excellence. For instance, Haffner conveys Douglass' powerful presence through…show more content…
The director's inclusion of direct quotes from Douglass' biography gives the viewer the chance to experience slavery in an unique powerful way. For instance, in the film Douglass himself reacts to the brutal whipping that his aunt suffered. In his own words he remembers details of that horrific episode. The viewer is moved by his story and is shaken by the anger and pain Douglass experienced when he witnessed such atrocity. Douglass had seen his aunt rung up by her wrists and beaten to near death because she defied her slave owner. Through the eyes of a young slave and family member, we are given an insight into the cruel and unjust society where men and women where kept slaves in the new country that proclaimed “all men are create…show more content…
Slaves were intentionally kept in a state of complete ignorance as a way to maintain absolute control over them. In the film it is mentioned that slaves did not even know their date of birth. As an object does not have the right to know about the day of its manufacture, a slave had no access to the simplest information about his/her birth. Due to an inexplicable, surprising circumstance, Douglass' mistress teaches him how to read while she herself was trying to learn in order to read the bible. Later on, he buys his first book, The Columbian Orator, he read and re-read this book until he memorized it. He also read the newspaper, The Liberator, published by William Lloyd Garrison, a leader of the abolitionist group. The education he received through his readings gave him the tools to become a prominent orator in the defense of the cause of abolition. Several renowned professors and historians participate in this documentary, establishing its credibility and providing evidence for the historical facts introduced, professors like, John F Marszalek, from Mississippi University, Thomas Battle, from Howard University, James McPherson, from Princeton University, etc. Professor Marszalek talks about the role that Frederick Douglass had in the Civil War, “he is a major figure in the coming of the Civil War and the Way the Civil War was
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