Political Identity During Slave Oppression

Political Identity During Slave Oppression

To find ones self identity in society, a person must know who they are and what they stand for. In the case of black slaves in American society during the nineteenth century, slaves did not know their identity, as well their political hold in America. Throughout the oppression of slavery there were two intensive, smart individuals such as Harriet Jacobs and Frederick Douglass. These former slaves learned how to free themselves from the oppression and how to explain themselves to others. Their key motivational tool was based off of using their gender to empower themselves and others. In their journey to freedom they learned how to be intellectual, know what they stood for in society, and how to present themselves.

Fredrick Douglass, a male slave, discovered he could obtain freedom if he learned how to read and write at a young age. Through his mental stability, he was able to physically and mentally protect himself from his masters. Douglass' main motivation towards his freedom was for his manhood, which had always been threatened . In “Douglass' Narrative” about his life, he explained his hardships dealing with slavery and how his intelligence developed him into a international political icon.

Douglass explains during his plan of escape from slavery, his intelligence did not go unnoticed. In his powerful leading statement he tells other males escaping the following, “ This was what I wanted. I talked to them of our want of manhood, if we submit to our enslavement without at least one noble effort to be free”. These words by Douglass motivated his fellow male slaves by implanted keys words such as enslavement which meant they allow it to continue , and also he told them with dignity and manhood they could be free.

From personal experience I know myself and other military personal we all had the same mentally on the war on terrorism which made us feel helpless and incapable. That is why I deiced as a man I had to...