Frederick Douglass: “This they would sing, with other words of their own improvising—jargon…”

On the record

This they would sing, with other words of their own improvising—jargon to others, but full of meaning to themselves.

Said by

Frederick Douglass

Source

Douglass notes that the improvised words of the slaves' songs held deep personal meaning for them, despite sounding like jargon to outsiders.

More from Frederick Douglass

Jan 1, 1881

They cannot be coaxed or driven to vote with their enemies against their friends.

Jan 1, 1881

To-day the negro, starting from nothing, pays taxes upon six millions in Georgia, and forty millions in Louisiana.

Jan 1, 1881

We are no longer four millions of slaves, but six millions of freemen.

Jan 1, 1881

Another ground of hope for our race is in the progress of education.

Frederick Douglass: “This they would sing, with other words of their own improvising—jargon to others, but full of meaning to themselves.”