Dec 15, 2015
https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/presidential-academy/Session+23+Morel.mp3
Focus
How did Douglass answer the question,
"What Country Have I?" What was his critique of the emigrationist
position? What was the basis for his greater optimism about race
relations in America? Just as Douglass was the leading figure in
the fight to secure the natural right to liberty for blacks in
America, he was the leading figure in the post-war struggle to
secure civil rights for African-Americans. Why does Douglass favor
justice ("fair play") over charity ("benevolence") for black
Americans? Why does Douglass counsel black Americans against "race
pride"? Why does Douglass consider "the Negro problem" a misnomer
for "the nation's problem" and how does this affect the kind of
solutions proposed to help black Americans? What was his critique
of the emigrationist position? Does he believe in black
reparations? If color prejudice is the bane of black Americans,
what principles and policies does Douglass propose to eliminate it
from American society?
Readings:
- Frederick Douglass, "Oration in Memory of Abraham Lincoln" (April 14, 1876)
- Brotz, African-American Social and Political Thought, 1850-1920
- Frederick Douglass, "The Blessings of Liberty and Education" (September 3, 1894)
- 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments
- Fairclough, Better Day Coming, chap. 1
The post Session 23: Frederick Douglass – Reconstruction and the Future of Black Americans appeared first on Teaching American History.