Brandon Bly

ENG 101
Reflection: 3
09/28/2015

Fredrick Douglass lived during a time when equality was as foreign as whites
were to black people. Mr. Douglass dealt with and saw many tremendously hard
things from his youth all the way to his adulthood since he was born into slavery.
From being separated from his mother at a young age, to not knowing who his
father was, and seeing a gruesome whipping with his own eyes, his childhood was
not easy. Even though Douglass was uneducated like most slaves during this time
period, Douglass wanted more for himself. Douglass didnt understand separation
and why blacks couldnt be equal to whites. Over time, with his teaching and
learning, Mr. Douglass found that education is key in any situation.
I read this story at Talbot Country Courthouse, when reading its almost as
time stops and youre taken back to that time period and youre visualizing
everything thats going on up close and personal. You can see babies crying for a
mother that theyll never see again, to hearing that cow skin whip going across the
back of an African American. Slaves were all ignorant, little to none had knowledge
of their actual age. Douglas stated I have an idea what my age might have be but I
couldnt tell you for sure. He believed he was born in 1817, but slave records
showed he was actually born in 1818, to a slave name Harriet his mother. He knew
who his mother was, but she was very rare and uncommon figure in his life. He
never met or knew who his father was, but he came to believe his father was his
master, a white man. At the early age of 6, living in Talbot County, his childhood

came to a speedy stop when he was assigned to be caretaker of his masters child
on the plantation. Douglass was punished if he failed to accomplish the task he was
given. Thats when Mr. Douglass probably knew his childhood was no more. I believe
everything I read was helpful to seeing a vivid picture of life as a slave.
When reading about Fredrick Douglasss remarkable story its not hard to put
yourself in his shoes and it makes you think What if I was Fredrick Douglass? It
was a terrible time to live and grow up in. How would I have reacted if I dealt with
the situations he dealt with? Would I have been whipped? Would I have been
separated from my mother? And many more. Those are thoughts that go through
my head as I read in disgust about how life was during that time period. Its not
unusual to see anger build up from reading about a negative time during our
countrys history. But can you be mad? Who knows, it is up to the person youre
asking. While reading about his life, I also think about how I am glad I was not born
during that time period because I dont believe I would have the mental strength
they had. Physically they worked them to a point where they were too weak to fight
back, but mentally most African Americans were strong. Douglass lived in Master
Hughs family for seven years. During that time he succeeded in learning to read
and write. To accomplish these goals he adopted many strategies. Douglass stated
in his NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS, AN AMERICAN SLAVE,
that he didnt have a normal teacher; his masters wife kindly commenced to
instruct him (32).
Fredrick Douglass is standing proudly in front of the left side of the
courthouse window, which shows you how far we have come as a country. We as a
country have not completely changed but every milestone helps us push even
further. I love the fact that they put a statue at the court house to honor him. The

statue is not just a memory of Mr. Douglass but a remembrance to who he was
fighting for and what he fought for. Fredrick Douglass fought for equality and
abolition of slavery. If he were alive today he would be proud that the same country
that took him away from his mother, and made him have to grow up so fast, has
now seen a black president and politicians, and many people with money and power
are African American. Most importantly, above all things, the law says all are equalblacks are equal to whites, slavery has been abolished, and all African Americans
have a right to an education.