america history

You must always feel that you are somebody. A simple thought, but for early African Americans this was nearly impossible. Taken from their country, sold and then abused was the typical life of a slave in America. Over many years leaders have arose fighting for African American rights. Among them are two men of different eras, but with the same dream, Frederick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr. were two of the most prominent black leaders in our nation’s history.
Fredrick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr. were the leaders of their time. Born almost a hundred years apart, these different times brought distinct issues. Douglass himself was a slave, who had escaped to the north to save his own life. During his times African Americans had no rights by any means. They were just a piece of property of the plantation owners. Many people did not even consider them as human beings. Douglass himself explained this best in his autobiography entitled “The Life of Frederick Douglass” which describes the horrendous daily abuse that slaves endured from their owners. The issue of Douglass’s time was the abolition of slavery. (Miller 1-8) A century later, in Martin Luther King’s day African Americans were no longer called “Slaves”; however, they still did not have the same rights as the white men. Everything from restaurants, buses, and even water fountains were segregated, white and colored. The issues of King’s time were segregation and discrimination. (Jakoubek 8-11)
As a slave Frederick Douglass was not permitted to be educated especially reading and writing. The White men believed that once the slaves were educated they would not be able to control them. Douglass was fortunate enough to be educated by his owner’s wife, Sophia Auld. (McKissack and McKissack 19- 23) Unknowing that slaves were not to be educated she taught him the alphabet, and numbers until ordered not to by her husband, Hugh Auld, who said, “Learning would spoil the best nigger in the world. Now if you teach that nigger how to read, there would be no keeping him. It would formulate him unfit to be a slave.” As a young boy Douglass would secretly read old newspapers, through them he learned of the abolitionists, who were people openly against slavery. Too much of his surprise many of the abolitionists were white people. He knew he was not alone. When he became a grown man, he himself became one of the first black abolitionists. In addition of being an abolitionist, he was also a writer writing many autobiographies, and messages against slavery. Later on Douglass became very active in politics and the United States Government. (Russell 30-40)
Unlike Douglass, Martin Luther King Jr. grew up in a time when African Americans could attend schools and even go to college. King himself attended Booker T. Washington High where he graduated early and went on to study at Morehouse College in Atlanta, a prestigious school dedicated to educating African-American men. After graduating from Morehouse College, King went on to study at Crozer Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania. This was the first time King attended an integrated school. While studying at Crozer King discovered the studies of Gandhi, the man who had attained the independence of India from England without any violence. King was most fascinated by Gandhi’s concept of Satyagraha, which is the peaceful defiance of government. King knew that Satyagraha was the way that black Americans could overcome segregation. King graduated from Crozer with a bachelor’s degree in divinity, and continued his studies at Boston University pursing a Ph.D. After completing his studies King returned to the South, where he felt he was needed. He settled in Montgomery, Alabama where he became the Pastor of a Baptist Church there. (Jakoubek 20-35) Early on Douglass and King yearned for knowledge, for they knew that education was the key to freedom.
Frederick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr. shared the belief that all men were created equal. They believed it was their duty to spread this message, and hopefully create changes for all African Americans. Frederick Douglass’ main concern was freedom. He spread his message by giving speeches, writing many letters, biographies and articles about anti-slavery. His letters were inspiring, but more importantly politically correct for his audience was mainly the educated men of Congress. He also made impacts on many important people, for example Abraham Lincoln, who stated “Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves.” (“Frederick Douglass”) As the abolitionist movement came to an end, Douglass continued his fight for equality. He concentrated all his efforts on voting rights, stating in one of his many essays, “Slavery is not abolished until the black man has the ballot.” ("Historic World Leaders”) Four years after this essay’s publication African American men did receive the right to vote. In King’s day freedom was no longer the issue, he was more concerned about justice, and rights for all mankind. Martin Luther King spread his message by giving speeches, and when unable to speak he would write letters. His speeches and letters were very inspirational, and motivated millions, for his audience was the common man. Like Douglass, King had a connection with the president of the time John F. Kennedy. King is known for his public speaking and famous speeches like his “I have a Dream” speech, where he states “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” (“Martin Luther King Jr.”) Thanks to television, and media King’s message could be spread all of the country, accumulating millions of followers and supporters. Martin Luther King Jr. started many peaceful pilgrimages, marches, and protests that often got him into to trouble, sometimes even getting himself put in jail. While in jail King would write more inspiring letters, like his most famous letter from Birmingham Jail where he explains, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” ("Historic World Leaders”) Unlike King, Douglass did not have millions of followers and supporters for there was no television or media during his time. Douglass and King shared the same dream, that one day colored people would be accepted as part of society, not a piece of property.
Even though both men lived roughly a hundred years apart, they both produced substantial movements. Each resulting in great social turmoil. The movements targeted, for the most part, conditions that existed in the South considering that’s where most blacks lived and since that’s where the greatest injustices occurred. Both movements led to many conflicts. The abolitionist movement eventually led to the civil war where the civil rights movement led to widespread demonstrations, riots, and violence.
Douglass and King both had a vast impact on our nation’s history, creating many changes in the way our country views things. It was Douglass who started the progression of giving African Americans freedom and rights. By never giving up and leading the way, he sparked the fire that is still growing today. King however lit the torch that passes on though history. He was inspirational like Douglass, but related more to the common man, changing the lives of millions. Many call him a martyr of civil rights, because he died for what he believed in. People are still inspired by Martin Luther King Jr. In today’s world there many streets and schools named after this honorable man, and each year on the third Monday of January schools, banks, post offices, and federal offices across America close to celebrate the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It was two men from different eras, but with the same dream of equality that changed America.





















Works Cited
McKissack, Patricia, and Frederick McKissack. Frederick Douglass The Black Lion. Chicago: Children's Press, 1987.
Russell, Sharman Apt. Frederick Douglass Abolitionist Editor. Philadelphia : Chelsea House Publishers , 2005.
Miller, Douglas T. Frederick Douglass and The Fight For Freedom. New York: Facts on File Publications, 1988.
Jakoubek, Robert. Martin Luther Jr. Civil Right Leader. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 2005.
Jakoubek, Robert. Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Leader. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1989.
Russell, Sharman Apt. Frederick Douglass Abolitionist Editor. New York : Chelsea House Publishers , 1988.
“Frederick Douglass.” Historic World Leaders. Gale Research, 1994. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hill, Mich.: Thomson Gale. 2006 http://0-galenet.galegroup.com.iii.ocls.info:80/servlet/BioRC
"Frederick Douglass." American Eras, Volume 5: The Reform Era and Eastern U.S. Development, 1815-1850. Gale Research, 1998. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale. 2006. http://0-galenet.galegroup.com.iii.ocls.info:80/servlet/BioRC
“Martin Luther Jr.” Historic World Leaders. Gale Research, 1994. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale. 2006. http://0-galenet.galegroup.com.iii.ocls.info:80/servlet/BioRc