Frederick Douglass: The Wisdom of the Minority and On the Essential Meaning of Solidarity
“There are times in almost every community where appointed leaders use their powerful minds to confuse and hide the simple truth. To mislead the minds of the people and to contaminate their hearts. The most humble ones come to the fore at such times and fight evil. “
The lonely and outcast Kierkegaard commented in his diary in 1850 that “the truth is always based on the minority,” because “while the minority is usually made up of those who really have an idea, the power of the majority is misleading.” Thirty-two-year-old Frederick Douglass (1818- 1895) said in his anti-slavery speech:
“There are times when the most humble individual of society can teach some things properly, and wise and chosen leaders can distort reality. When they misuse wisdom, these humble people come forward and fight. ”
Early in his career as a rookie speaker of William Lloyd Garrison’s anti-slavery activism movement, Douglass was influenced by white women who united and opposed evil – women who taught him a lot about solidarity. Douglass wrote to his friend while Margaret Fuller laid the foundations of contemporary American feminism and advocated for black voting rights, spoke of the difficulties she faced at racist rallies and praised those who fought for rights. “Our friends, who were never discouraged, amazed me. A handful of women left alone in the society hit everyone’s face with the truths that everyone opposed and lived the principles that they hated and feared. I hope they continue to resist. ”
Decades from now he would return to this topic in his autobiography:
“When the true history of the anti-slavery case is to be written, women will have a large place in the pages, because the case of the slave has been particularly the case of the woman…. Observing and gratefulness for the role, dedication and effectiveness of women in the anti-slavery case has prompted me to show interest in women’s rights and support women’s rights. it made me be called a man. I am proud to be recognized as such. ”
