Slavery must be attacked with the whole power of truth and the sword of the spirit. You must take it up on Christian ground, and fight against it with Christian weapons, whilst your feet are shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
In these line, she is motivating to attack on slavery with full power. She is assuring them that they are fighting for truth and God will give them strength.
The women of the South can overthrow this horrible system of oppression and cruelty, licentiousness and wrong. Such appeals to your legislatures would be irresistible, for there is something in the heart of man which will bend under moral suasion.
Through these line, she motivated the women’s that they have a power to stand against the discrimination and wrong political powers. She is encouraging them to look inside and find their internal power that will give them strength to fight.
if a self evident truth that all men every where and of every color are born equal, and have an inalienable right to liberty, then it is equally true that no man can be born a slave, and no man can ever rightfully be reduced to involuntary bondage and held as a slave, however fair may be the claim of his master or mistress through wills and title-deeds….
She pinpointed and challenged the facts that indicates that all people are equal and everyone have equal right than there should be no men under slavery based on color and race.
We must come back to the good old doctrine of our fore fathers who declared to the world, “this self evident truth that all men are created equal, and that they have certain inalienable rights among which are, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
She encouraged people to think about their elderly who teaches them that every single person born in this world have a right to live their life freely and everyone has a right to stay happy. In my opinion, she did her best to wake them up from slavery.
I do not believe the time has yet come when Christian women “will not endure sound doctrine,” even on the subject of Slavery, if it is spoken to them in tenderness and love, therefore I now address you.
She mentioned her concern towards the women slavery. She felt that the fight against the slavery is going to take a long time.
Be not afraid then to read my appeal; it is not written in the heat of passion or prejudice, but in that solemn calmness which is the result of conviction and duty. It is true, I am going to tell you unwelcome truths, but I mean to speak those truths in love, and remember Solomon says, “faithful are the wounds of a friend.”
In these line, she was trying to clear doubts of women’s that could raise on their mind that she might try to make them violent by her speech. She considered their possible concern that she did not write her speech under the influence of anger and hate.
Yes! Sisters in Christ I feel an interest in you, and often has the secret prayer arisen on your behalf, Lord “open thou their eyes that they may see wondrous things out of thy Law”—It is then, because I do feel and do pray for you, that I thus address you upon a subject about which of all others, perhaps you would rather not hear any thing;
She is trying to motivate and connected the other women with her on Christian religion. She claimed that she was feeling other women’s pain and pray for them.
I ask you now, for the sake of former confidence and former friendship, to read the following pages in the spirit of calm investigation and fervent prayer. It is because you have known me, that I write thus unto you.
In these line, Angelina Grimke reminding them their beliefs and past relation with her and encouraging them to read and understand her document to stand against the slavery in the South.
It is because I feel a deep and tender interest in your present and eternal welfare that I am willing thus publicly to address you.
She claimed that she was thinking about their welfare and everything she was going to say, it was going to be beneficial for them. She described it as her interest.
Women were active participants in every aspect of the abolitionist movement. In this document, Angelina Grimké, a former Southerner herself, attempts to persuade Southern women of the immorality of slavery. This tactic, called moral suasion, directed the efforts of abolitionists, especially in the 1830s and 1840s.
These lines described purpose behind Angelina Grimké appeal to Christian Women. She motivated the women to stand against the slavery.
Mrs. Hamer's life story and testimony gave important information on Black Americans' struggles in Jim Crow South. Her testimony raised the question of freedom and democracy of America. Mrs. Hamer's life story and testimony become an important piece of Black American struggle because she shared her personal experience of struggle rather than just telling about other black people stories.
All of this is on account we want to register, to become first-class citizens, and if the freedom Democratic Party is not seated now, I question America, is this America, the land of the free and the home of the brave where we have to sleep with our telephones off of the hooks because our lives be threatened daily because we want to live as decent human beings, in America?
She calimed that why she experienced these situations because she tried to become first-class citizens. She raised questions on the meaning of freedom of America.
I was carried out of that cell into another cell where they had two Negro prisoners.
It is another traumatic experience of her life on June 9th, 1963 where she was beaten by two negro prisoners and white policemen.
On the 10th of September, 1962, sixteen bullets was fired into the home of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Tucker for me. That same night two girls were shot in Ruleville, Mississippi. Also Mr. Joe McDonald’s house was shot in.
Mrs. Hamer also shared the incident of shooting towards the black people which killed two girls in Ruleville. It seemed like they tried to scare the black people, and they wanted the black people to forget about the voter registration.
He said, “I mean that,” he said, “If you don’t go down and withdraw your registration, you will have to leave,” said, “Then if you go down and withdraw,” he said, “You will—you might have to go because we are not ready for that in Mississippi.”
She lost her job. Her white manager gave her the option to work or withdraw her name from voter registration.
After we had taken this test and started back to Ruleville, we was held up by the City Police and the State Highway Patrolmen and carried back to Indianola, where the bus driver was charged that day with driving a bus the wrong color.
She is sharing her bad and discriminating life experience in Jim Crow South. As I learned from her bibliography and testimony, she had a bad experience with whites when she tried to register herself for the vote. She shared her experience on the way back to Ruleville when her bus driver charged fine for driving the wrong color bus. It showed that white police just required the opportunity to bully the Black people. What is the meaning of driving the wrong color bus? How they decided which color of a bus is right or wrong. It just indicates that they were hateful to the black population.
Mr. Chairman, and the Credentials Committee, my name is Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer, and I live at 626 East Lafayette Street, Ruleville, Mississippi, Sunflower County, the home of Senator James O. Eastland, and Senator Stennis.
She initiated her testimony with her personal information.
Civil rights activists struggled against the repressive violence of Mississippi’s racial regime. State NAACP head Medger Evers was murdered in 1963. Freedom Summer activists tried to register black voters in 1964. Three disappeared and were found murdered. The Mississippi Democratic Party continued to disfranchise the state’s African American voters. Civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer co-founded the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP) and traveled to the Democratic National Convention in 1964 to demand that the MFDP’s delegates, rather than the all-white Mississippi Democratic Party delegates, be seated in the convention. Although unsuccessful, her moving testimony was broadcast on national television and drew further attention to the plight of African Americans in the South
It indicates the Fannie Lou Hamer‘s testimony background. It described that the White population discriminate against the Black population and did not provide the right to vote. Mars. Hamer’s testimony stands for the Black population's rights of the vote because the Black population did not have the right to vote. All White Mississippi Democratic Party continues to try to stop the Black population to register for the vote. It also indicates that when Freedom Summer activist tried to register black voters in 1964, they were murdered by whites people. Mississippi Democratic Party was only for white people and keeps the right to vote for the white population.
And on the 12th of May, 1828, I heard a loud noise in the heavens, and the Spirit instantly appeared to me and said the Serpent was loosened, and Christ had laid down the yoke he had borne for the sins of men, and that I should take it on and fight against the Serpent, for the time was fast approaching when the first should be last and the last should be first.
In these lines, he wholeheartedly explained the reason behind the rebellion. It indicates that rebellion was the whole religious belief.
when the white people would not let us be baptised by the church, we went down into the water together, in the sight of many who reviled us, and were baptised by the Spirit
He mentioned the behavior and religious discrimination towards them from white peoples. They did not have the right to go to church.
About this time I told these things to a white man, on whom it had a wonderful effect—and he ceased from his wickedness, and was attacked immediately with a cutaneous eruption, and blood oozed from the pores of his skin, and after praying and fasting nine days, he was healed, and the Spirit appeared to me again, and said, as the Saviour had been baptised so should we be also
He claimed his positive influence on the white man after he talked about his vision, spirit, and God which bring a change in the white man.
the Spirit more fully—and it appeared to me, and reminded me of the things it had already shown me, and that it would then reveal to me the knowledge of the elements, the revolution of the planets, the operation of tides, and changes of the seasons.
In my opinion, he was religious and encouraged the religious belief of the people by claiming that the spirit came in front of him. He appeared more like a patriot.
Knowing the influence I had obtained over the minds of my fellow servants, (not by the means of conjuring and such like tricks—for to them I always spoke of such things with contempt) but by the communion of the Spirit whose revelations I often communicated to them, and they believed and said my wisdom came from God
He mentioned that his followers believed in him and believed that he got the vision from God. He claimed that he did not force anyone to come with him. His followers came with their religious beliefs.
Several years rolled round, in which many events occurred to strengthen me in this my belief. At this time I reverted in my mind to the remarks made of me in my childhood, and the things that had been shewn me—and as it had been said of me in my childhood by those by whom I had been taught to pray, both white and black, and in whom I had the greatest confidence, that I had too much sense to be raised, and if I was, I would never be of any use to any one as a slave.
He described the causes of his motivation to bring a change towards slavery. He mentioned his experience in childhood which also build his confidence and motivation. But he did not specify his childhood memories as good or bad, but he indicates his life made him strong towards raising his voice.
The Spirit that spoke to the prophets in former days—and I was greatly astonished, and for two years prayed continually, whenever my duty would permit—and then again I had the same revelation, which fully confirmed me in the impression that I was ordained for some great purpose in the hands of the Almighty.
It seemed like he talked about his internal spirit, believes in God, his prayers, and on himself. It appeared that he got the internal vision from God to stand for the Black slavery people.
Seek ye the kingdom of Heaven and all things shall be added unto you
It indicates that Nat claimed this passage motivated him to create a haven for people. It also indicates that he is motivated by God.
In August, 1831, Nat Turner led a group of enslaved and free Black men in a rebellion that killed over fifty white men, women, and children. Nat Turner understood his rebellion as an act of God. While he awaited trial, Turner spoke with the white attorney, Thomas Ruffin Gray, who wrote their conversations into the following document.
It provides the background information on the documents which indicates that Nat Turner claimed the Southampton rebellion, 1831 against the White race and Black slavery was all by God’s wish.
ake up the fight! Do not wait for someone else to tell you what to do.
It is a motivation given by him to the people to stand up against the inequality.
Education and training for all children to be equal in opportunity in all schools, colleges, universities, and other institutions for training in the professions and vocations of life;
It is one of the ways he introduced in his speech to share equal wealth in the nation. Education is an important part of our life. Education is the way to improve our lives by getting good jobs.
It is impossible for the United States to preserve itself as a republic or as a democracy when 600 families own more of this Nation’s wealth
He described the reason behind inequality in the United States. It is a fact that how 600 families have more money than the whole nation.
The whole line of my political thought has always been that America must face the time when the whole country would shoulder the obligation which it owes to every child born on earth—that is, a fair chance to life, liberty, and happiness.
It is very impressive to know about his thoughts towards society. He wanted the American government to understand that every child was born with the right to equality in their lives. Every child has a right to get the opportunities to grow themselves.
Our present plan is that we will allow no one man to own more that $50,000,000. We think that with that limit we will be able to carry out the balance of the program. It may be necessary that we limit it to less than $50,000,000.
He is talking about the present plan and also offered different plans to limit the balance per person which can help to spread that money to other people.
We do not propose to divide it up equally. We do not propose a division of wealth, but we propose to limit poverty that we will allow to be inflicted upon any man’s family.
He is clearing the doubts on equality. He mentioned that he knew that equality in economic status does not mean that everyone in the country will have the same amount of money. His equality means at least every family would have enough income that they can take care of their basic needs to live their life such as food, house, clothes, cars, and education. His purpose was to decrease the poverty rate in the nation.
Every man a king, so there would be no such thing as a man or woman who did not have the necessities of life, who would not be dependent upon the whims and caprices and ipsi dixit [unproved assertion] of the financial barons for a living.
He considered everyone in society as a king. His motive is to let people know that no one is servant or poor.
Now, my friends, if you were off on an island where there were 100 lunches, you could not let one man eat up the hundred lunches, or take the hundred lunches and not let anybody else eat any of them. If you did, there would not be anything else for the balance of the people to consume.
He is providing an example from the basic need of the people to make them understand what he is trying to say. He gave an example of the food which is the basic need of human beings to stay alive.
I do not think you will contend that, and I do not think for a moment that they will contend it.
He's raising questions on the people and the government’s ability to raise the question against the inequality. He is mentioning that he knows that no one is going to raise the question against inequality. In my opinion, it was his way to trigger their thoughts against inequality.
That was not the meaning of the Declaration of Independence when it said that all men are created equal or “That we hold that all men are created equal.”
He is trying to differentiate the meaning of equality declared at the time of the Declaration of Independence and the equality we have in reality.
Now, what did they mean by that? Did they mean, my friends, to say that all men are created equal and that that meant that any one man was born to inherit $10,000,000,000 and that another child was to be born to inherit nothing?
He successfully raised the question of equality in an impressive way. He is asking and creating awareness at the same time that what actually equality means. One person has all opportunities to earn money and other people force to spend his/ her life in starvation. A child born in a rich family is going to get all opportunities to become richer. On the other side, a child born in a poor family does not even have an opportunity to earn the money to take care of his/her needs. Is this is called equality?
How many of you remember the first thing that the Declaration of Independence said? It said: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that there are certain inalienable rights for the people, and among them are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;” and it said further, “We hold the view that all men are created equal.
He is motivating the people to rethink about the day they got independence to remind them what independence means. Independence declared that everyone was equal, and they have equal rights in the United States. Basically, he pointed on inequality distribution of economic in between people. We know that today’s system makes rich men richer and poor men poorer. I also learned about the economic distribution in my Sociology class.
We have everything here that we need, except that we have neglected the fundamentals upon which the American Government was principally predicated
Here he tried to encourage the people to think about the fundamental principles of the United States government and focused on what we are ignoring today.
We have a marvelous love for this Government of ours; in fact, it is almost a religion, and it is well that it should be, because we have a splendid form of government and we have a splendid set of laws.
Huey P. Long mentioned his love and respect towards the government and laws. He considered the government equal to his religion. Or I will say that he gave respect to the government as he gave respect to his religion.
Amid the economic indignities of the Great Depression, Huey P. Long of Louisiana championed an aggressive program of public spending and wealth redistribution. Critics denounced Long, who served as both governor and a senator from Louisiana, as a corrupt demagogue, but “the Kingfish” appealed to impoverished Louisianans and Americans wracked by joblessness and resentful of American economic inequality. He was assassinated before he could mount his independent bid for the White House in 1936. In the following extracts from two of his most famous speeches, Long outlines his political program.
It is telling about the Huey P. Long's background and the reason behind his most famous speech. It indicates that he considered joblessness and inequalities of economic distributions between America's reason behind the Great Depression.
In answer to this, it has been claimed that the Negro can survive only through submission. Mr. Washington distinctly asks that black people give up, at least for the present, three things, — First, political power, Second, insistence on civil rights, Third, higher education of Negro youth,–
He considered that Booker just enforced the Black Americans to do Sacrifices and not to think about gain any political power, civil rights and higher education which result in negro deprived of any rights, legal law towards civil inferiority for the Negro and stopped education aids for Negro education.
W.E.B. DuBois, a leading black intellectual and co-founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), agitated against discrimination and authored several noteworthy pieces on the black experience in the United States. The following, from his seminal, The Souls of Black Folk, argues against Booker T. Washington’s calls for compromise.
It is information about the leader of the Black Americans who stand against the discrimination towards the Black Americans
The wisest among my race understand that the agitation of questions of social equality is the extremest folly, and that progress in the enjoyment of all the privileges that will come to us must be the result of severe and constant struggle rather than of artificial forcing.
Booker mentioned that the wisest people from his race also considered that the demand for equality is a foolish step. They can get their rights and equality through their hard work. In my opinion, you can get anything from your hard work and education but if you will just demand, you are not going to get anything. Hard work is a success of key. I think, Booker also believed in it. He just teaches his people to do hard work with the belief that you will get your equality one day.
Cast down your bucket among these people who have, without strikes and labour wars, tilled your fields, cleared your forests, builded [sic] your railroads and cities, and brought forth treasures from the bowels of the earth, and helped make possible this magnificent representation of the progress of the South. Casting down your bucket among my people, helping and encouraging them as you are doing on these grounds, and to education of head, hand, and heart, you will find that they will buy your surplus land, make blossom the waste places in your fields, and run your factories. While doing this, you can be sure in the future, as in the past, that you and your families will be surrounded by the most patient, faithful, law-abiding, and unresentful people that the world has seen. As we have proved our loyalty to you in the past, nursing your children, watching by the sick-bed of your mothers and fathers, and often following them with tear-dimmed eyes to their graves, so in the future,
Booker pinpointing the South White people here and reminding them how his people who were slaves work for them without complaints and any strikes. He is reminding them that how his people’s hard work helped their land grow and take care of their parents and children. He is also giving them promise here that his people are going to take care of them in the future as they did in the past. In my opinion, Booker encouraged the Negroes to work under the South in the same way as their elderly work for them. At one point, I felt like Booker considered Negroes lower than South white people.
It is at the bottom of life we must begin, and not at the top. Nor should we permit our grievances to overshadow our opportunities.
He gave importance to start from the bottom. It means to grab the opportunities to start your life on foreign land. No work is small or big. Do not be sad or complain if you are doing small work, otherwise your sadness or complaints are going to snatch your opportunity from you.
Cast it down in agriculture, mechanics, in commerce, in domestic service, and in the professions. And in this connection it is well to bear in mind that whatever other sins the South may be called to bear, when it comes to business, pure and simple, it is in the South that the Negro is given a man’s chance in the commercial world, and in nothing is this Exposition more eloquent than in emphasizing this chance.
Booker T. Washington enforcing or encourage, we can use different words here where he is telling Black Americans that the South is the one who is giving a chance to Negro men to work in professions such as in agriculture, mechanics, commerce, and domestic services, they have to professional in their work and grab the opportunity and ignore any kind of discrimination. He encouraged them to focus on opportunities. According to him, nothing is important than opportunity.
I would say: “Cast down your bucket where you are” — cast it down in making friends in every manly way of the people of all races by whom we are surrounded.
Booker T. Washington encouraged people to attract others without second thoughts that if the next person is from your race or from another. Washington Successfully introduced equality among different races.
To those of my race who depend on bettering their condition in a foreign land or who underestimate the importance of cultivating friendly relations with the Southern white man,
Here Washington is talking about his people who came to America land to make their life and the people who think that they do not have to develop a good friendship relationship with Southern white men or other races people.
The captain of the distressed vessel, at last heading the injunction, cast down his bucket, and it came up full of fresh, sparkling water from the mouth of the Amazon River.
It indicates that believe in yourself and looks around yourself. You will definitely get something better.
“Cast down your bucket where you are.”
It has a deep meaning. It indicates that look around you and sees what do you have and you will be able to help yourself.
Booker T. Washington, born enslaved in Virginia in 1856, founded the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama in 1881 and became a leading advocate of African American progress. Introduced as “a representative of Negro enterprise and Negro civilization,” Washington delivered the following remarks, sometimes called the “Atlanta Compromise” speech, at the Cotton States and International Exposition in Atlanta in 1895.
It is information about Booker T. Washington which tells the reader who he was. He was born as an enslaved in Virginia in 1856 and become an advocate for Africa Americans. It also tells the reader that we are going to read his speech which is called “Atlanta Compromise”.