Dakaari Nelson

Professor Thomas

AFAM100N

September 15, 2023

The Ambiguity of Freedom

Philosophers and activists have debated the definition of freedom for centuries. The

Emancipation Proclamation declared slaves “free” in 1863, but the slaves were not necessarily

free from oppression, biases, and racism. This idea supports the ambiguity of freedom’s

definition. My definition of freedom coincides with Frederick Douglass and Maria Stewart’s

definition. They believe freedom comes with no restraints and that physically free African

Americans were not free from social injustice.

I believe that freedom is a physical, social, and psychological concept. For instance,

people can be objectively free from obligation and restrictions. Slaves can be free from their

masters and duties, students can be free from class, and athletes can be free from practice. In this

sense, they do not have to physically attend to their masters, teachers, or coaches; however,

freedom is also a social concept. Although African Americans might have been free from being

considered a slave, they still had to grapple with society viewing them as inferior and receiving

unjust treatment, which still exists today to less of an extent. In that sense, they could not freely

go in public without having the same opportunities and treatment as white people. Mentally,

African Americans were not free because they lacked the ability to express themselves and learn.

Frederick Douglass was born into slavery and experienced a significant lack of freedom.

With encountering this lack of privilege, he could form his own definition of freedom. He

defined it as the absence of restraints, and the presence of unlimited opportunities. He also
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viewed freedom as the ability to learn and think on his own. He once stated in his narrative,

“Once you learn to read, you will forever be free,” which supports my definition of freedom. It

is not only a physical concept, but also a psychological state. Having access to free thought and

the right to learn is a crucial aspect of freedom.

Maria Stewart was an African American journalist and teacher who emphasized the social

and political aspects of freedom. She believed that freedom was larger than emancipation; it

entailed access to education and the ability to get a job. Her idea of freedom coincides with mine

in that it is a social concept not limited to the physical state of being free.

The only aspect of my view of freedom that may differ from Maria Stewart and Frederick

Douglass’, but really extends on their ideas, is that I also acknowledge the responsibilities that

come with freedom. True freedom where people have no restraints and are capable of doing

whatever they want can be unhealthy. In that scenario, society would become chaotic since

everyone would do as they please without considering the freedoms of others. That said, I think

freedom must coincide with responsibility to ensure that communities remain intact.

Maria Stewart and Frederick Douglass focus on the physical, psychological, social, and

political aspects of freedom and not the respect and responsibility that should be paired with it.

During their time, African Americans were severely oppressed and all that they could think of

was building their rights and fighting for freedom from slavery and the freedom of education.

Now that African Americans are treated justly and have more access to a free state of mind,

education, and the ability to work, it is important to acknowledge the touch of responsibility that

must coexist with freedom.

In conclusion, my definition of freedom significantly resonated with Maria Stewart and

Frederick Douglass’ ideas. However, I also introduced the necessity of respect and responsibility
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that must come with freedom. They laid the foundation for advocating for access to equal

opportunities, like education, jobs, the freedom to think, and emancipation. But in today’s

society, it is crucial to enjoy our freedom with other people’s rights in mind as well to ensure that

freedom is sustainable and accessible to all.