Frederick Douglass: The Black Freedom Movement

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Within the black freedom movement, there are two main philosophical aspects that seem to be in contradiction with one another, however, are often synthesized by organizations, such as Marxism and Black Nationalism. These philosophical aspects are centered on the historical conflict within the black movement as to whether separation, integration or overthrow is the right approach towards attaining liberation. This turmoil of whether to integrate or separate or overthrow has a long history going back to the classical debates that can be found in Frederick Douglass “What to the Slave Is The Fourth of July” that was written in 1852. Great African American speakers developed the antislavery cause while delivering absolute act of public speaking the warrant for black public speaking. Spokespersons such as Frederick Douglass take as one of their…show more content…
He desires it to be clearly believed that there are exceptions, and once again he names names. He also calls focus on the history of Christian involvement in British abolitionism. "The antislavery movement there was never an anti-church movement, for the reason that the church took its total share in prosecuting that movement." Douglass indicates that abolitionism in America will "cease to be an anti-church movement if Christians being a great mass throw their weight behind the concepts of what Douglass calls "Christian Liberty." Douglass' position towards Christianity here is a careful and very incomplete understanding. He believes that the inclination of a few abolitionists to be antichurch is acceptable. However he has also come to see the Church like a redeemable institution which, should it practice its own scriptures correctly, could remain an effective tool in the struggle for equal rights. This shows Douglass' view of the historic currents where he was positioned. Abolitionism was a consequence of the surge of revivalism generally called the 'Second Great
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