In January of 1894 Frederick Douglass delivered his speech”Lessons of The Hour”. We are living in a perilous time. If you’ve never read or been exposed to that speech it is perhaps because our schools don’t teach it in American history classes.
It was relevant then and may perhaps be even more relevant now. When Douglass delivered that speech it was 16 years after reconstruction had been brought to an end. Like now America was caught up in a spirit of racial animus driven by white supremacy gone mad. Like now there were those who wanted to turn back the hands of time to an era filled with fear and inhumanity.
In the speech Douglas graphically describes the atrocities visited upon America’s black citizens trying to avail themselves of the promise made in the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments. He poses the question of what America could be if she could ever afford humanity to all of her citizens without any one group needing to be superior to another.
One hundred and twenty eight years later we are still wrestling with the question of equity and equality for all. This time I fear we are running out of time. We do not have the luxury of continuing to address the problem with bandaid. We live in a global society where both our allies and or foes get to see our warts. If we do not learn to live together the Union will die first while our foes sit back and wait and watch. Once the Union dies the American vision will follow and what is left will be like carrion waiting to be picked over.
If you have young people in your home I would recommend that you share Douglass speech with them and then discuss it. We owe our youth a real education.
Pay Attention!
Think!!
Eyes Wide 👀 👁 Open!!!