Frederick Douglass Biography – The Slave who Became the Leader of Abolitionist Movement

Frederick Douglass was a living example of a slave who was strong enough to escape from slavery, getting self-taught, and working hardly for the freedom and social rights for the African-Americans. He received many posthumous honors, in recognition of his services to humanity.

PHOTO BY FLICKR.COM/SLOAN_G/

Frederick Douglass Biography - from being a Slave to Rising as a Community Leader

Frederick Douglass was born as Frederick Augustus Washington Baileyin a slave cabin in Talbot County in Maryland, in 1817. He was brought up by his maternal grandmother. His mother died when he was seven. The identity of his father is still a mystery, and it is said that his father was one of the slave owners, Captain Aaron Anthony, for whom he worked as a slave for some time.At the age of twelve, Douglass went to serve a family in Baltimore, where his owner’s wife, Sophia Auld started teaching him the English alphabet, despite the law that was against slaves learning to read or write. Sophia was a kind hearted woman, and because of her husband’s disproval, she had to refrain from teaching Douglass, and stopped teaching him. He overheard his master saying that learning to read would make the slaves seek their freedom, which became the first anti-slavery lecture for Douglass. He learnt to read the newspapers through the white boys in the neighborhood, and also from the writings of other men.At the age of 20, he impersonated as a sailor, and left to Philadelphia which was then dominated by Quakers. He got inspired to join the Abolitionist movement, and joined William Lloyd Garrison as a follower in the movement deciding to fight against slavery, at the same time, worked as an editor and orator for the newspaper, The Liberator. Frederick Douglass wrote three autobiographies, “A Narrative on the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave”(1845), “My Bondage and My Freedom”(1855), and “Life and Times of Frederick Douglass”(1881).

Frederick Douglass Narrative - Voicing Inequalities and Social Injustice

The extempore speech given by Frederick Douglass at the funeral of Abraham Lincoln was quite overwhelming, and this Frederick Douglass narrative is considered even today as the best ever eulogies said about a man. He started giving speeches on African American movements, slavery and equality, and traveled to Europe to give speeches. In the meantime, he worked as the editor and publisher for several newspapers, and discussed with President Abraham Lincoln regarding the condition of Black soldiers at the American Civil war, and fought for their rights.The famous Frederick Douglass narratives are also found in his autobiography, “A Narrative on the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave”.

Frederick Douglass Quotes - Uplifting

Like Frederick Douglass speeches, his quotes that are extracted from the orations he gave, has become famous. These excerpts voice his strong opinions on slavery, women’s rights, equality. Some of the famous Frederick Douglass quotes are, “A gentleman will not insult me, and no man not a gentleman can insult me”, “If there is no struggle, there is no progress”, “One and God make a majority”, “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men”, and “I prayed for twenty years but received no answer until I prayed with my legs”.Frederick Douglass died on February 20, 1895 due to a heart attack that occurred after he attended the meeting of National Council of Women in Washington, D.C.Photo Source : flickr.com/sloan_g/