Introduction
America’s political thought circles around the idea that the Americans engage three traditions or languages of disclosure for the interpretation of the language experience that are liberalism, biblical thought and republicanism that are further interpreting by two languages that are radicalism and conservatism. Philosophers, oraters and writers that have narrated the history of each period, each of them has a different point of view and the theories they have provided always lead to debates and long conversations by the people who have always tried to get this nation out of the crisis.
Douglass, while delivering a speech in 1852, before a gathering of people who were fighting to end slavery from the United States of America, asked from the audience that how it is legal that he white men and women of the United States can make the law designated black men and women of the United States as their property? Frederick Douglass is known as person who always worked to end slavery from the United States and was a person who always fought for the rights of the African Americans.
In 1963, Malcolm X, being the spokesperson and the leader of the people of Islam, gave a remarkable speech while presiding a rally in Michigan in response to the Douglass’s 4th july speech. His speech was all about the nationalist philosophy about the black and after his speech he was known as a person who openly criticize the civil rights movement. During his speech, he said, that “I am not talking to you people as a person who is a very patriotic, nor a person who is very proud of being American. I am talking to you as person who is a victim of the Americans and a person who doesn’t like Americanism. He said that I am not talking about the Americanism instead, like many other African Americans, aim also being victimized by this Americanism. From now onward, you will see me as a person who will always fight for the rights of the African Americans and declared that I don’t consider self as an American anymore”( Douglass, 1852).
Discussion
Many of the governments failed to see that by keeping the people enslaved, poor and uneducated just for the sake that if they get educated then they will not allow us to keep them enslaved. Thus denying their opportunity to get benefit from the system of the government.
If ever in the history of the United States, blacks in the America were treated as equal to the whites in the America, the country would have seen major breakthroughs in almost every field of life. As we all knoe that through out the history of United States, the blacks men were always treated as the slaves of the white men and the black women were treated as the slaves of the women of the white men, chances for the growth of blacks in the society were vanished by the whites. Although the injustice been done with the blacks not only in the United States but also in the whole world, the achievements and the contributions towards the world done by the black is definitely cannot be counted.
Douglass 4th july Speech and Malcolm response
4th of july is also known as the independence day of America. At this day, back in 1776, thirteen colonies got independence from the United Kingdom and ultimately formed United States of America. Famous speech by Douglass was themed on what is the meaning of 4th july to a African American slave in the United States? ( Douglass, 1852) Douglass criticized the american government by that you awant an education that should be universal still your education system is not providing equal rights to all the people in your country and is a system that is dreadful and barbarous. According to him, at the day of independence in 1776, everybody got their independence except African americans ( Douglass, 1852).
Malcolm is known to be the leading spokesperson of the nation (Malcolm, 1963). Whle delivering his speech he said that we are Africans not the americans. The American doesnot consider us as one of them. According to them the biggest problem of America are the black people. The only reason America is having any problem is the reason that they donot want us here in the United States.
According to my perspective, speech given by Douglass rotated the whole scenario of the political environment. He was one of his kind who raised the voice for the rights of a particular group’s struggle and said that the rights given to them were contradictory and against the rules and laws of the United states. I think that the struggle done by the Douglass enlightens arguments before the writer and the reader that what was promised by the America for all the citizens and what is being done to some minorities are totally opposing realitis. Blacks were not given independence on 4th of july instead they were kept enslaved and on a serious not, independence is not a thing which will be presented to you in a silver plate by your opponent but you have to fight for your independence. If you donot do that, you will always be crushed like the black till the movement was was started by their leader especially Martin Luther King Jr.
I think that the Malcolm’s speech was all about to unite the African American to unite and become a single unit and to forget all of their differences to fight against the cruel culture of America so that they can become a single unit and stay in America as a single nation. I think that he tried to persuade the black people that the whites are not a part of their family as they always tried to keep them enslaved. Use of first person language in the entire speech was a successful weapon used by him to get the attention of the people to encourage them that this is their fight.
Both of these are considered as legends among the blacks even after the decades of their death which shows that the work they have done was of much importance and also that shows that their beliefs were much powerful. Their death cannot takeout their teachings and beliefs from the heart of people. Both Douglass and Malcolm had the same goal towards thery were working but their way of working or the methodologies were quite different from one another yet they becsme successful in achieving what they wanted.
Washington’s response to Malcolm’s speech
One of the most dominant intellectuals that African Americans ever had in the 19th century, is known as Booker T. Wasington. He encouraged the blacks about the racial solidarity, self help and accommodation (Washington, 1895). He encouraged the blacks that for the time being they have to accept the discrimination that is being done by the blacks on the basis of color. He said that a time will come when they will be uplifted against the whites, so they hav to wait for the right moment and for that they have to accept this discrimination.
Washington and Malcolm both have worked a lot for the African Americanss welfare and undoubtly are known as the heros of black people (Malcolm, 1963). The ideologies that both of these men presented are although controversial but these ideologies are most cited by the African Americans. The work that both of these men have done, is even prominent for the African Americans of today’s era. According to the speeches that both of these made, we can realize that the key elements that were required for the development of the African American nation were the sme in their minds.
Washington think that it is an opportunity for the benefit of all i.e., black community and the nation as a whole whereas Malcolm thought that we can only succeed in this recial war if become successful in realizing the whites that what the truth is. To gain what is ours, we have to fight back with the whites.
The work done by both Washington and Malcolm can be said as a test for the confirmation of the American civil religion. As Malcolm said that there is a need of unity among the people to fight against the whistes, it was no doubt a test for all the African amricans that what would they do on this situation? (Washington, 1895) Whether they will get united by setting aside all of their disputes or not for the welfare of their whole community.
Whites were crushing the African american under slavery and the basic human rights were not given to the blacks. As a result of which, there was a need for a person who can give awareness to the black about their fundamental rights and to tell them that they are not meant to be kept enslaved. They are free as anyother citizen of the United States. Washingtom and Malcolm are the persons who are remembered as the heros of African americans as they give awareness to the people. There is also a name which cannot be forget whenever we talk about the abolition that is Martin Luther King Jr. who lead the blacks from the front end in the war against slavery (Washington, 1986). There was no other hidden agenda in this movement and in all the speeches that these leaders gave.
Malcolm, Washington, Douglass and Martin are considered to be the biggest intellectuals for the African americans. These people work hard for the betterment of the blacks. They all experienced the the dilemma that the balcks were facing according to their own perspectives and the situations that they faced during their period. Each one of them was a visionary leader but their lives were ended either by assassination or through natural death when the ideas in their minds were still evolving.
Conclusions
African Americans have always contributed a lot in the United states but despite their effrots in the development of the country they were always surpassed and their rights were crushed by the whites of the United States. Since the independence of the United States, the blacks were kept enslaved by the whites and they don’t have access to the basic fundamental rights. To give people awareness about their rights many of the leaders came up and presented their philosophies before the community of the African American people. Out of which the most famous are Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and Booker T. Washington. These are the people who work hard in presenting their philosophies before the people and giving them awareness. Thus as a result these people are still remembered as heros by the African Americans and their ideologies are a way to success for the blacks, although they have been passed from this world decades ago.
References
Douglass, F. (1852). What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?. The Heath Anthology of American Literature, 1, 1818-1836.
Washington, J. M. (1986). The essential writings and speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr. New York: HarperOne.
Washington, B. T. (1895, September). Atlanta Compromise Speech. In Cotton States and International Exposition in Atlanta. Georgia (Vol. 18).
Malcolm, X. (1963). Message to the grass roots. November, 10, 78.
