African Americans were performing the same duties as others without the same rights.
Explanation:
In this excerpt, Douglass presents a list of activities that African Americans participated in during these years. The list includes professions that were common at the time for all Americans, such as being a minister, a teacher or a builder. The effect of Douglass's words is to show how the personal lives of African Americans were no different to the lives of White Americans. Both groups were performing the same duties. However, they did not enjoy the same rights.
