Essay What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July - 704 Words

â€Å"What to the Slave is the Fourth of July† is a very moving piece about what the Fourth of July means to slaves. The speech was given by Fredrick Douglas in Rochester, New York, on July 5, 1852. His use of ethos, pathos and logos made this an extremely effective speech. The speech â€Å"What to the Slave is the Fourth of July† opens with Frederick Douglas explaining how he was asked to give a speech on the Fourth of July. He then gives a brief statement about how hard his journey has been and now he will try to lay out his thoughts to the audience. He talks about how this is a day of celebration for their nation, not his nation. Douglas talks about how young the nation is, and how many obstacles they will soon have to face. He goes on to talk†¦show more content†¦He used logos when he talked about the Declaration of Independence and its writers. This is a fact, so it appeals to logic. Another place where he uses logic is where he talks about the fact that s laves are human. He points how people know this fact, but they just choose to ignore it. Another way that he appeals to logos is talking about how outrageous it is to have him making this speech, and that the people really do not understand the Fourth of July and crazy it is to think about it as a holiday for black people. Pathos, or appealing to the emotions is the greatest part of this speech. Douglas appealed to people’s emotions by talking about the fore fathers and all of their accomplishments. This really seems to bring out the nationalism in people. He also appeals to pathos when he talks about how the Fourth of July is theirs, and not his; and the fact they are having him speak there is just ridiculous. Another way Douglas appeals to pathos is he recites a powerful poem. This poem illustrates how slaves feel and they so desperately wish to be free. This really resonates with black people and makes white people really think about how not everyone is equal. Also the poe m infers that it is God’s will that all men be equal and so it shall be that way. Using words like God really gets people emotional and gets them to listen. Fredrick Douglas’s speech about the Fourth of July and Slavery was a veryShow MoreRelatedEssay about What to the slave is the fourth of july1060 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿On Monday July 5th, 1852, Frederick Douglass captivated his audience at Corinthian Hall in Rochester, New York with one of the most powerful antislavery orations ever delivered, â€Å"What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?†1 As an African American and former slave himself, Douglass was a crucial component to the Civil Rights movement and the abolishment of slavery. 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At once in this speech, Douglass appeals