On the recordJanuary 1, 1855
I knew of blacks who were not slaves; I knew of whites who were not slaveholders; and I knew of persons who were nearly white, who were slaves.
Said by
Frederick Douglass
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gutenberg.orgI knew of blacks who were not slaves; I knew of whites who were not slaveholders; and I knew of persons who were nearly white, who were slaves.
Douglass recounts his early observations that contradicted the prevailing racial theories used to justify slavery, noting exceptions to the supposed racial divide.
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The anti-slavery platform had performed its work, and my voice was no longer needed.
His iron sentences, cold and harsh, sunk like heavy weights deep into my heart, and stirred up within me a rebellion not soon to be allayed.
Our very lack of preparation for the conflict disposed us to look for some other than the way of blood out of the difficulty.