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Ben Reiner
7/12/2016
Dr. Greenfield
Humn 221
A Call to Arms
Frederic Douglas, a free man during the Civil war era was often given the opportunity to
speak to rooms full of white abolitionists. Douglas used this as a platform to spark a flame under
the abolitionists, by using things that they held dearest to them. Going after their religion and
comparing them to the people they despise most. Over 100 years later we then see two civil
rights activists coming to the forefront of black society Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X,
both religious officials and both drawing some resemblance to Douglas. Douglas and Malcom X
use a call to arms by preaching what their religious deities would want, meanwhile King uses
religion against other clergymen to defy their actions against him.
In Malcom Xs University of California/Berkley and Martin Luther King Jrs Letter from
a Birmingham Jail we see a passing resemblance to Douglass speech. However we see the
aggressive state of Douglass writing more involved in Malcom Xs writing, and the
compassionate side of Douglas is seen in Kings Address. Both means are effective and led to
action, however they all pander to different audiences. Douglas is pandering to white
abolitionists, Malcom X is pandering to African American Muslims, and Martin Luther King Jr.
is pandering to other religious officials. This effects their writing and styles.

In Frederic Douglass The Meaning of the Fourth for the Negro, Douglas lists questions
to the people of the abolitionist movement. Asking Would you have me argue that man is
entitled to Liberty? That he is the rightful owner of his own body? You have already declared it.
(pg 22). Douglas questioning why he is brought here to speak and what purpose he has. For the
people there should have their own sense of what is just and unjust. He states that everyone
knows that slavery is wrong yet no one will do anything about it. During this time period religion
was something that all of the masses partook in and looked to as almighty so when quotes such
as
Standing with God and the crushed and bleeding slave on this occasion, I will, in the
name of humanity which is outraged, in the name of liberty which is fettered, in the name
of the constitution and the bible which are disregarded and trampled upon, dare to call in
question and to denounce with all emphasis I can command everything that serves to
perpetuate slavery.
This strikes home to many, claiming that they denounce the bible and the very God that they
believe they are serving. With this he is directly offending the entirety of the congregation.
Malcom X is at the University of California where he discusses the teachings of
Mohammed, however instead of throwing religion back in the faces of those who adhere to it
like Douglas does, instead he says what he believes the teachings to be.
The Honorable Elijah Muhammad teaches us that in essence this means the American
white man fought the Revolutionary War to get this country for himself. He then fought
the Civil War to keep this country intact for himself. (pg 3)

He takes a more aggressive approach to his speech style blaming the white man for their
injustices, claiming that action needs to be taken to rectify the damages done. The actions that
need to be taken from this point of view are therefore far more drastic than others.
TheHonorableElijahMuhammadhastheonlypermanentsolution.Twentymillionexslaves
mustbepermanentlyseparatedfromourformerslavemasterandplacedonsomelandthatwecan
callourown.Thenwecancreateourownjobs.Controlourowneconomy.Solveourown
problemsinsteadofwaitingontheAmericanwhitemantosolveourproblemsforus.(Pg6)
InbothKingsandDouglassspeechesthereisadistinctlackofsuchacalltoaction.Thisleadstothe
differenceinthelevelofequalityeachofthesegreatleadersaskfor.
ForMalcomXitisatotalgovernmenttakeoverthatwillfinallyestablishequalityforallAfrican
Americans,meanwhileDouglaswhileprogressiveinhiseraasksforfarlessmostnotablythe
abolishmentofslavery.LastlywelookatKingandwhatheisaskingforwhichisjusticeheclaimsthat
thoughweallknoweventuallytherewillbeequalrightsforallithastaken2000yearsandstillno
equalitywhichiswhythetimeforactionisnow.Thisactionheisaskingforisunlikethatoftheothers
weveseen,itispeacefulinnaturenotaggressivenordemanding.WhichisreminiscentofDouglasatthe
endofhisspeech
Butachangehasnowcomeovertheaffairsofmankind.Walledcitiesandempireshavebecome
unfashionable.Thearmofcommercehasborneawaythegatesofthestrongcity.(Pg26)
Afterinsultingtheabolitionistswhoinvitedhimtherehethenturnsandshowssomecompassionforthe
worktheyaredoing.Kingtakesdirectlyfromthisphilosophywiththoseheisworkingwithandleading.
IamgreatfultoGodthat,throughtheinfluenceoftheNegrochurch,thewayofnonviolent
becameanintegralofourstruggle.

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Heuseshisreligionasacatalysttothosesupportinghim,healsousesitagainstthosewhoopposehim.
AstheletterwaswrittenbydistinguishedclergymenofAlabamahemustthenappealtotheirscholarly
sideandtheirreligiousside.MuchlikeDouglasagainheusestheirownreligiontobelittlethemandtheir
actions.
Inspiteofmyshattereddreams,IcametoBirminghamwiththehopethatthewhitereligious
leadershipofthecommunitywouldseethejusticeofourcausebutagainIhavebeendisappointed(pg
41)
ThisistakenfromDouglasbecauseofthesimilarityoftheiraudiences.Bothareopposingtheopposite
raceortheoppressors.Thereforeattackingthemwithboldfaceaccusationswouldnotbebeneficialtothe
causeathand.
Dr.KingsuseofreligionisonethatisdifferentfromeitherDouglasorMalcomXinthatheuses
itasmoreofamoralcompassthatshouldguidethoseonbothsidesofthismovement.Forthosewhoare
insupportofhimheasksthattheyfollowtheteachingsofGodtoremainnonviolentandtoremain
assuredthattheyareindeedmakingprogressandareholyintheeyesoftheLord.Whiletalkingtothose
whoopposehimheusesitasamoralcompasssayingthattheyvemisconstruedtheteachingsofGodand
thattheyaretrulyinthewrong.
ImusthonestlyreiteratethatIhavebeendisappointedwiththechurch.Idonotsaythisas
oneofthosenegativechurchcriticswhocanalwaysfindsomethingwrongwiththechurch.(pg40)
MalcomXworksundertheimpressionofthegovernmentissomethingthatworksagainstthe
causescreatingfalsepromisestolureAfricanAmericanstostaycontentwiththelivestheyareliving,
leavingthemindenturedtowhites.ThisisaveryHobbesianviewofthegovernmentandtheiractions
claimingthattheiractionsareonlytobenefitthemselves.WhileDr.KingtakesaLockeanviewinwhich
everythingshouldbedoneinadiplomaticsenseandthatthoseopposingthemareagainstthelawsof

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natureandarecreatingasenseofwarandracialtension.WhilebothofthesestemfromDouglaswhosits
onthefencebetweenHobbesandLocke,heusesthelawscreatedinalegislaturetoshowtheinjustice
andtheoppressionandsenseofpersonalgainusedintermsofpersonalgain.Itisduetothedifferent
viewsofnaturallawthatleadtothedifferencesinthespeechesintermsoftoneandintermsofactions.

Bibliography
Douglas,Frederic.TheMeaningofJulyFourthfortheNegroRochester,NY.4July1852.pg2026
King,MartinLuther.LetterfromaBirminghamJailBirmingham,AL.16April1963.Pg2945
X,Malcom.UniversityofCalifornia/Berkley.Berkley,CAOct1963.Pg18