Final answer:
Frederick Douglass used the founding principles of America, particularly ideals of diversity and equality, to challenge discrimination and advocate for the rights of all racial and ethnic groups. He faced opposition from figures like President Johnson but remained a staunch supporter of the nation's founding values, working towards an America that embraced its 'composite nation' identity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Frederick Douglass, a renowned abolitionist and orator, effectively leveraged the founding principles of America to advocate for the rights and inclusion of various racial and ethnic groups. Douglass underscored the significance of America's diversity, referring to the nation as a "composite nation" and asserting that its prosperity was deeply interlinked with its ability to integrate people from around the world. Despite the founding principles of liberty and justice, Douglass experienced resistance, notably from President Andrew Johnson who, during a visit from Douglass, expressed a lack of interest in black suffrage and a distrust of Douglass himself. These interactions highlighted the tension between the nation's ideals and the reality of racial attitudes at the time.
Douglass continuously challenged discrimination and advocated for the removal of the word 'white' from naturalization statutes—efforts also echoed by figures like Charles Sumner—aiming to extend citizenship to nonwhite immigrants and Native Americans. Through his eloquence and poignant writings, Douglass conveyed a vision for America that lived up to its founding ideals of equality, even in the face of harsh opposition and societal contradictions.