Frederick Douglass’ multiracial abolitionism: “Antagonistic cooperation” and “redeemable ideals” in the July 5 speech

Abstract

Frederick Douglass spoke to a multiracial public sphere by engaging in “antagonistic cooperation” with white and black abolitionists. Far from being a relic of “black history,” he served as an “integrative ancestor” for all those trying to help build a multiracial democracy. Douglass’ July 5 Speech is placed in the context of his position at “a sort of half‐way place” between racial collectives. Douglass’ interracial rhetoric was developed to engage the different constituents of his multiracial audiences. Douglass sought to “redeem” both Enlightenment and Biblical egalitarian ideals in order to construct a multiracial “imagined community.”