[GJones2]

In the context of calls to take down the Freedmen's Memorial Monument to Abraham Lincoln in Washington (and its replica in Boston), I thought it would be interesting to see what the former slave and abolitionist Frederick Douglass said at its unveiling, just a decade after the Civil War. The statue has been denounced for showing Lincoln standing over a partially kneeling slave (story). The slave, though, isn't kneeling in submission to Lincoln, but rising up from his broken shackles after Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation -- image or image. The statue was paid for by former slaves themselves, and before the construction of the Lincoln Memorial it was the main site for his commemoration.

[Sacajaweau]

thanks for posting

[GJones2]

In his speech Douglass addressed his fellow former slaves as well as the white dignitaries present, including President Grant. His speech consists of a peculiarly interesting combination of what he considers blunt truth -- unusual when honoring the dead (to which he counters, "Truth is proper and beautiful at all times and in all places...") -- with declamatory praise:

"In his [Lincoln's] interests, in his associations, in his habits of thought, and in his prejudices...He was preeminently the white man's President..."

"You [whites] are the children of Abraham Lincoln. We are at best only his stepchildren...To you it especially belongs to sound his praises, to preserve and perpetuate his memory, to multiply his statues...But...we entreat you to despise not the humble offering we this day unveil to view..."

If "highly interesting object" is taken as faint praise rather than a reference to the extraordinary circumstances of its production -- being paid for by former slaves -- Douglass may not have been fond of the monument as a statue ("I warmly congratulate you upon the highly interesting object which has caused you to assemble in such numbers and spirit as you have today"). He does "congratulate" them on it, though, and clearly doesn't want people to "despise" it. Eleanor Holmes Norton, the D.C. representative, is introducing legislation to have it be taken down, and claims that "... in his keynote address at the unveiling of this statue, Frederick Douglass also expressed his displeasure with the statue." That's blatantly untrue.

[real saxophonist]

You know what, just this morning I was thinking that pretty soon they’re going to tear down a statue of Frederick Douglass, because they have no idea who he was. It’s a statue, let’s tear it down!

[Texas Eagle]

I don’t understand the consternation. The guy is taking a knee. Isn’t that a good thing?

[Texas Eagle]

What a metaphor (or whatever you call it). The slave in the "Emancipation" statue is on one knee but in the act of getting up.

Today, blacks are taking a knee as a show of how little they have risen.

The Bible say (somewhere) "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he."

As long as you see yourself as downtrodden, you will act downtrodden.

[Outlaw76]

Do not accept the narrative that they are trying to tear down the statues of slavers and such...

They want to tear down any evidence that disagrees with their narrative. Tearing down statues of Lee and other Confederates is a cover for tearing down abolitionists, Union soldiers and presidents, Lincoln himself. all so that they can say they were not freed by the actions of white men. So that they can say, well, anything they want.

They want to own history so that they can model the future and no one, not even Lincoln, is going to stand in the way.