Question

Read the excerpt from "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?"

There are seventy-two crimes in the State of Virginia which, if committed by a black man (no matter how
ignorant he be), subject him to the punishment of death; while only two of the same crimes will subject a
white man to the like punishment.
What problem is Douglass referring to in this excerpt?
the alarming rise in crime that was taking place
O the difficulties of living in Virginia prior to the Civil War
the injustice and unreliability of the death penalty
the unfair treatment of Black people in the courts

Answer 1

Frederick Douglass is referring to the unfair treatment of Black people in the courts in this excerpt from his speech.

Step-by-step explanation:

In this excerpt from "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?", Frederick Douglass is referring to the unfair treatment of Black people in the courts. He highlights the disparity in punishment between Black and white individuals for committing crimes in the State of Virginia. While a Black person could face the death penalty for 72 crimes, a white person would only face the same punishment for 2 of those crimes.

Learn more about Unfair treatment of Black people in the courts