"An apostle of freedom and a tireless agitator" p. 203
Stars: 5/5
If you are expecting this book to be about one speech given on or about one particular day - the Fourth of July - you are in for a surprise. Colaiaco has crafted an impressively comprehensive study on Frederick Douglass. The dissemination of the “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” speech is the major arc but it is not the book’s only appeal. To provide context, the author presents copious material on the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 and Supreme Court Chief Justice Taney's majority opinion on Dred Scott v. Sanford; both of which were major setbacks to the abolitionist movement but were not enough to deter Frederick Douglass. Colaiaco also provides a brief observation into the relationship between Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison and when and why their abolitionist strategies diverged. The intentions of the framers of the Constitution, other relevant Frederick Douglass speeches and Abraham Lincoln’s role during this time are also analyzed and discussed here.
I will mention that this book does not include the full “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” speech. Although this can be easily overcome with a simple internet search, I believe it would be nice to have it included in the book as an appendix.
See all Book Reviews
No comments:
Post a Comment