Faith Quote by Frederick Douglass
““If any one thing in my experience, more than another, served to deepen my conviction of the infernal character of slavery, and to fill me with unutterable loathing of slaveholders, it was their base ingratitude to my poor old grandmother. She had served my old master faithfully from youth to old age. She had been the source of all his wealth; she had peopled his plantation with slaves; she had become a great grandmother in his service. She had rocked him in infancy, attended him in childhood, served him through life, and at his death wiped from his icy brow the cold death-sweat, and closed his eyes forever. She was nevertheless left a slave—a slave for life—a slave in the hands of strangers; and in their hands she saw her children, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren, divided, like so many sheep, without being gratified with the small privilege of a single word, as to their or her own destiny. And, to cap the climax of their base ingratitude and fiendish barbarity, my grandmother,””
About This Quote
Source Narrative: Autobiography – Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, 1845
The narrator describes the deep hatred for slaveholders caused by their betrayal of a loyal grandmother who was enslaved despite her service.
In simple terms: A devoted grandmother was enslaved, revealing the cruelty of slavery.
Recognize how betrayal fuels moral conviction.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- education on slavery
- civil rights activism
- family history discussions
- social justice work
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How does personal loss shape views on injustice?
- What lessons can we draw for today’s fight against oppression?
Historical context may differ; personal narratives can be emotionally intense.