Throughout history many American classes, such as slaves, laborers, and women, were subjected to oppressive conditions, which made them ignorant to the most vital words of our nations Declaration of Independence, "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" (Jefferson p45). This statement did not always hold quite as true, as most people would like to believe. America was not always a land of opportunity, but a land where thousands were forever entrapped by their race, gender and education level. There was a point in time, where oppression not only mocked the lives of both slave and free African Americans, but flogged the lives of women, and uneducated male laborers, trying to make an honest living.
When exploring oppression the African American community was faced with slavery, racism, and no sense of dignity. They were taken from their homes, and what little family they had, and put on plantations and forced to work against their will. A prime example of an unfortunate black man is Frederick Douglass. His younger years were a prime example of the treachery brought about by slavery. He was unaware of his parents or any other siblings, and was raised by his grandmother, whom he would be forced to part with, as soon as he was old enough work. "Grandmother pointed out my brother Perry, my sister Sarah, and my sister Eliza, who stood in a group. I had never seen my brothers or sisters; though I had sometimes heard of them" (Douglass p48). Soon after being introduced to his brothers and sisters, his grandmother was forced to discretely leave him. "I could not believe it; yet, fearing the worst I ran into the kitchen, but, it was indeed so Grandmammy was gone" (Douglass p49). .
Slavery was not only about broken families and tragic break ups, but brutal work conditions.