Our Declaration: A Reading of the Declaration of Independence in Defense of Equality

Allen continues marrying the personal and the political by exploring her early interest in the concepts of freedom and equality. She admits that while the Declaration resonates with her, her commitment to freedom likely has deeper and more personal roots. Allen recalls being bullied in childhood by her grandmother, who likely had a mental illness and was uneasy about having a Black son-in-law. Her grandmother constantly criticized her, down to her hair and personal habits. Eventually, Allen’s brother reminded her that she could choose to ignore any criticisms, and in so doing Allen “established for [her]self a platform of agency equal to [her grandmother’s], even if she didn’t know it” (40). 

Allen concedes that this early experience may have helped establish her interest in democracy—that human relationships may serve as the basis for deeper thinking about politics and government. She recalls the various texts she read as a child that may have cemented these interests, concentrating particularly on the biblical story of Joseph and his brothers. Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery as a child, but he became politically prominent in Egypt and settled his family there after forgiving them. Their fortunes changed rapidly after his death, however, and Joseph’s descendants were enslaved in Egypt.