A reminder of the importance of optimism. Even when there is still much work to be done, looking back at how much has already been accomplished is vital in motivating people to continue the fight.

This is so gross. Is it that hard to advocate for multiple forms of equality? How much do you really care about your cause if you're willing to turn away people who want to help based on the color of their skin?

It's sad that this needs to be said at all, let alone brought all the way to the Supreme Court, but it is definitely satisfying to see justice served.

I'm feeling mixed about this. On one hand, I think it's a good thing that you can't be forced to work in a factory for more than ten hours a day. On the other hand, the fact that it only applies to women definitely feels kinda sexist. Why only women? Why isn't it that no one can be made to work in a factory for more than ten hours a day? It seems to suggest an idea that women are weaker and/or more vulnerable than men.

This is absolutely disgusting. The way employers and landlords are able to treat the people who are essentially completely at their mercy is utterly abhorrent and horrific.

This leaves me feeling somewhat uncomfortable. While I think it's reasonable that a worker's hours should be determined by the people involved, I think a complete lack of government intervention opens the door for some really unfair treatment of employees and unreasonable hours.

What? You mean to tell me that vaccine mandates have existed since at least 1905? I thought the government just created it in order to control the public! Facebook told me so! (Just so we're all on the same page, the above is satire)

I really love how to-the-point and almost blunt Garvey is here. He is essentially saying "I don't care what you think about or way of thinking, this is what we represent and this is what we want."

DuBois makes a strong argument. While Washington's actions are certainly commendable, they have not done enough to stop certain injustices from occurring - making it significantly more difficult to make more impactful change.

This is such a powerful argument. It really gets right to the core of American beliefs of the time, of patriotism, bravery, and Christianity. DuBois highlights the fact that treating black people differently from white people is a show of cowardice, of fear, which goes against everything they claim to stand for.

I love Washington's point here. This idea that we all die eventually, and when we do, God judges us all the same (according to Christian beliefs). If God sees us all as equal, who are you to disagree?

While lynching has become less common in the US (though still very much a very real problem), it is frustrating to read this document from over a century ago and see that there were injustices faced then that are still extremely prevalent today. Black people have always been punished much more harshly than white people, and this shows that it is a problem that has existed for a very long time.

It's truly saddening to see how this emphasis on marriage caused such harm to many women's mental health. The opposition to marriage lead Wells, and no doubt many other women to believe that there was something somehow wrong with them, when in reality, they just didn't want something like that. Unfortunately, this is a problem that many LGBTQA+ people still face today.

This connects to a point that Grimke made: that this is taxation without representation. The hypocrisy is written on the walls. This is made worse by the fact that if the husband dies and the wife does not, she only gets to keep a third of the property.

This is pretty much the core of Grimke's argument. She later states that what free women experience is as bad as what slaves experience, which is true, but she is absolutely right in her comparison that women are limited in many of the same ways that slaves are.

The sense of pain and sorrow here is tangible. Jacobs understands what will happen to the black girl before long, and her heart hurts because of it. It also highlights that racism is not an inherent belief, but is learned from society.

Douglass' word choice is extremely important, and this sentence displays that perfectly. July 4th is the day that white people gained freedom. Slaves like himself were not free, and therefore, he feels like he cannot properly celebrate it. He does not, however, try to diminish the impact of the date, as this would likely cause more outrage than actual discussion. Douglass recognizes and affirms how significant and important this date is in American history, in world history while also drawing attention to the fact that, as someone who was once a slave, he and many others do not feel the same connection, as it did not do the same things for them.

Garrison makes a great point here. Even though Northern States do not have slavery, they are not without blame. By taking advantage of the products of slavery and not actively advocating for its elimination, they allowed it to exist and to worsen.

Walker's ability to consistently point out the irony of white Christians advocating for slavery is extremely powerful. Even today, many people attempt to use the Bible to justify their hate, highlighting just how little they truly understand what Jesus preached.