Frederick Douglass Fought White People

Frederick Douglass was an African-American slave who published his Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass in 1845. He first became aware of slavery when his master tied his aunt up and beat her until she bled. Numerous white people mistreated him throughout the years--from his masters to people his masters hired him out to. Through some education and a determination to not allow whites to beat him like a slave, Douglass gained some respect and eventually escaped to freedom from the bonds of slavery.

What made the difference in the life of Frederick Douglass? Was it his literacy and his ability to speak eloquently in front of white abolitionists? Was it his ability to persuade white people away from the evils of slavery? Literacy certainly made a difference in Douglass's life and made him aware of the possibilities of improving the conditions of his life. The decision that made the biggest difference in Douglass's life was his resolve to no longer allow white people to beat on him. By law, slave owners had the right to beat or even murder their slaves. Slaves were another form of property. Upon the death of Captain Anthony, Douglass's old master, Douglass and his fellow slaves were distributed among Anthony's family alongside horses, sheep, and swine.

Douglass made his decision to resist violence from white people when Edward Covey beat Douglass for running away from a previous beating. Rather than accept the violence, Douglass "seized Covey hard by the throat." They grappled for nearly two hours with Douglass getting the better of Covey. The resistance lifted his spirits: "it rekindled the few expiring embers of freedom, and revived within me a sense of my own manhood . . . I did not hesitate to let it be known of me, that the white man who expected to succeed in whipping, must also succeed in killing me." Violence in kind was the only measure that changed white people's behavior. His pursuit of an education only earned him the increased hatred of white people. His resolve and militant speech that made clear his intention to fight back improved the conditions of his life.

The threat of punishment for fighting back against white people was a real one. A white jury would readily convict Douglass, or whites could lynch him without the benefit of a trial. Word that Douglass defeated Covey in a brawl would damage Covey's reputation as a "first-rate overseer and negro-breaker." Potential damage to Covey's reputation is the only reason Douglass could think of that Covey did not hand Douglass over to the constable for prosecution. From this point onward, Douglass directs his energy to the perilous goal of gaining his own freedom.

Later, Douglass's Master Hugh threatens to beat Douglass after he fails to bring any money home from his labors. His refusal to work and bring money to his master was another expression of resistance. Douglass did no work for a week in retaliation for Master Hugh forbidding Douglass from hiring his time (working for money). Douglass doesn't speak upon Master Hugh's threat, but "was resolved, if he laid the weight of his hand upon me, it should be blow for blow." Douglass later gives all his wages to Master Hugh to allay any suspicion of his escape and uses the 26 cents Hugh gives him in return to aid his flight.

Through Douglass's experience of the brutality of slavery, he became less concerned with the consequences of resistance and improved the conditions of his life. People today can learn from his example. When faced with any kind of injustice, whether it's imperialism, worker exploitation, or racism, people have the right to protect themselves from harm. In the face of oppressive violence, speech, begging and passiveness often fails. If you wish, try pacifism. If it fails, follow in the footsteps of Frederick Douglass.

Sources
Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written by Himself. New York, Norton: 1997.