If, however, the vistas disclosed as yet no goal, no resting-place, little but flattery and criticism, the journey at least gave leisure for reflection and self-examination; it changed the child of Emancipation to the youth with dawning self-consciousness, self-realization, self-respect.
From his seminal work, this passage describes the profound personal growth and development of self-awareness, self-realization, and self-respect that emerged from the ongoing struggle for Black liberation.
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Away with the black man’s ballot, by force or fraud,—and behold the suicide of a race!