




History is important because if we do not learn from it, we are doomed to repeat it. History is also a big influence on literature. Many historical events have guided writing and caused a lasting impression on literature. In turn, many authors have tried to used their own literature to make a historical change. History and literature pair well because many authors write based on the trends and influences of their time period. Shakespeare wrote ahead of his time and his work will live on forever. The English Renaissance period was very evident in his writings and it shaped how his works were viewed. That is just another example of how history influences literature. Being able to use history as a tool to express literature helps a writer in making their works stronger. Many writers bring about many issues and try to use literature to change the way people think and even the world.

This is a nation built on pride and sovereignty because this is the land of the free and the home of the brave. Many individuals put their very lives on the line to come to this country. This. Is. America. The United States is considered to be the greatest nation on the planet and rightfully so; this is the place for opportunity where you can do or be anything. People are very proud of the freedom and choices we can make here. This is a historic place filled with traditional and religious values. Many brave men sacrificed everything to get this country to where it is. The crown had utilized the resources and the people living here. Britain reaped the benefits of Lady Liberty and people had enough of this tyranny. We, as Americans, had enough of this unfair treatment and this country united under one stance and fought for its own freedom. The effort people gave to save this country was astounding. The American population set aside all differences and stood together for the better of the country. It was impressive how this country was able to unite under one cause for justice and fight for the freedom it knew it deserved.

The Declaration of Independence states that, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” (Declaration of Independence US 1776). If this were the case, why were there men of color being bound tight by chains and forced to do gruesome work? The Constitution is America’s life-line and it symbolizes many things. The past: the tyranny, the oppression, and the disrespect. The present: the beginning and the chance to start a new. Finally, it represents the future: the hope for better days, the yearning for our descendants to live better lives than we had, the American dream. We are supposed to be united as one and that is still not the case because people are still discriminated due to the amount of pigment in their skin. The Constitution is a lie because it stands for freedom and equality when it is clearly falls for the African-American people.

 “America is false to the past, false to the present, and solemnly binds herself to be false to the future. Standing with God and the crushed and bleeding slave on this occasion, I will, in the name of humanity which is outraged, in the name of liberty which is fettered, in the name of the constitution and the bible, which are disregarded and trampled upon, dare to call in question and to denounce, with all the emphasis I can command, everything that serves to perpetuate slavery---the great sin and shame of America!” (Douglas 263.) 

Douglas’s tone and language in this quote is one of a kind. It seems like he lets his anger get the best of him in a formal setting. He helps prove the point that you cannot tell the whole truth because there is still a lie in the cracks of the foundation. 

Douglas continues to say, “What to the American Slave, is the 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim” (Douglas 265). I love this quote because of the perspective it brings about. When most people think about Independence Day, they think about the historical aspect of it. They look back on the near impossible obstacles people had to go through to obtain freedom; however, does every person in America see it that way? The answer is no. A day cannot be truly justified where Americans are supposed to celebrate and be proud of freedom when people are in chains and shackles. Before the abolition of slavery and civil rights movement, the 4th of July was a very contradictory day. 

Douglas goes on to say, “But, such is not the state of the case. I say it with a sad sense of the disparity between us. I am not included within the pale of this glorious anniversary! Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us. The blessings in which you, this day, rejoice, are not enjoyed in common.---The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not by me. The sunlight that brought life and healing to you, has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth [of] July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn” (Douglas 262).

 Douglas was a former slave. After failing to escape twice, he succeeded on the third attempt. He had lived the life of a slave and had seen first-hand the absolute horror of slavery. Douglas learned to read and write at the age of twelve and he became very educated. Douglas had lived two totally different lives in one soul. He understood the struggle of living as a man in captivity; however, he also understood the life of a free educated man. Douglas had been on both sides of the fence and he could have easily just chosen to live in peace but he did not. He spoke out on these atrocities and gave life and work to changing the world and informing many that a cruel injustice was being done in America. 

Let us fast-forward to a more modern era. Gil Scott-Heron was a more recent activist. Heron was born in 1949 and his work started becoming recognized in the 1960s. His most famous piece is his song ‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.’ The song is very eye-opening because it seems like it is bringing some sort of awakening to the 20th century.

 “The revolution will not be right back after a message about a white tornado, white lightning, or white people. You will not have to worry about a dove in your bedroom, a tiger in your tank, or the giant in your toilet bowl. The revolution will not go better with a coke. The revolution will not fight germs that may cause bad breath. The revolution will put you in the driver’s seat. The revolution will not be televised, will not be televised, will not be televised, will not be televised.The revolution will be no re-run brothers; The revolution will be live.” (Heron).

 Heron is saying that these luxuries most people afford do not mean anything to those of color. I like the reference to the coke because that aims at the comfort of the people in this time period. At this era in history, coke was sweeping the nation. Every meal went better with a Coca-Cola beverage. Heron says this is as an analogy in an attempt to get through people’s comfort zones. When people think of a revolution, they think of a wide-scale change that is about to happen. This is false. A revolution begins with the mind. It starts with a group of that believes in a cause and is willing to sacrifice for a cause to bring change, like the founding fathers. Heron was influenced by his time and the stress of the 1960s, so he brought about a new ideal to people. 

It was very impressive to see what this country could do with its back against the wall; however, where is this type of commitment when it comes to the rights of African-Americans? It seems this dedication has gone out the window when we talk about fair treatment for African-American. Adam Fairclough’s “Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Quest for Nonviolent Social Change” is a great read. In it he says, “At the time, Southern whites argued that orderly change was already on the way; the protest merely hindered that process. It is surely no coincidence, however, that the first small steps in the direction of desegregation occurred precisely when King’s campaign climaxed.” (Fairclough 7) This quote is interesting because he says southern whites tried to say change was on the way, yet there were many whites protesting desegregation. One thing that also comes to mind is how the country never fought for the freedom of African-Americans as it did for the treatment of Negroes. That is an issue because when it fought for its freedom from Britain, the U.S. was sick of being treated second class and knew it deserved better quality of life. So why does America treat blacks like that? This is a gross double-standard. There seems to be ignorance when talking about equality for all races when history proves Americans will fight for freedom and equal treatment for the entire country.

All of these works have one thing in common: they all use history in order to try and make a noticeable change. They tie well together over the same subject. Fairclough, Heron and Douglas may not have physically known each other, but they all have the same ideals and objectives with their works: equality in America. The use of repetition, powerful language, and emotion in all of their works brings a strong viewpoint in the world. Douglas and Heron to be exact use many outside influences (whether it is Heron talking about coke or Douglas talking about the constitution) to make their works stronger and awaken a population that otherwise would still be asleep on these issues. Equality should run for everyone, not just a specified amount of people. This was said in our Constitution. These writers wanted to voice their opinions and make the constitution abide by everyone and not a selected few. 





