Frederick Douglass biography

Frederick Douglass biography

See more about the biography of Frederick Douglass, an enslaved man who taught himself to read and later led the fight for the civil rights of women and African-Americans.

Biography of Frederick Douglass

• Occupation: civil rights activist, , writer and Abolitionist
• Born: February 1818 in Maryland
• Died: February 20, 1895 in Washington, D.C.
• Best known for:A former slave who served as a presidential advisor

Where did Frederick Douglass grow up?

In Talbot County, Maryland, on a plantation, Frederick Douglass was born. Frederick’s mother was a slave, and after his birth, he too became an enslaved person. Frederick Bailey was his given name. He had no idea who his father was or when he was born. Thereafter, he decided to celebrate his birthday on February 14 and gave his birth year as 1818.

Life as an Enslaved Person

It was extremely tough to live as a slave, especially as a child. Frederick was assigned to live at the Wye House plantation when he was just seven years old. When he was ten years old, his mother passed away. He hardly saw her. He was assigned to assist the Auld family in Baltimore a few years later.

Learning to Read

When Frederick was about twelve years old, Sophia Auld, the wife of his master, started teaching him the letters. When Mr. Auld learned that his wife was still teaching Douglass, he forbade her from doing so because it was illegal at the time to teach the enslaved to read. Frederick, though, was a bright young man who wished to become a reader. He gradually learned himself to read and write in secret by paying attention to others and the white kids while they studied.

Douglass read newspapers and other articles about slavery after he learned to read. His opinions on human rights and how people ought to be treated started to take shape. Also, he helped other slaves learn to read, although this finally got him in trouble. He was transferred to a another farm, where the enslaver beat him to crush his spirit. But this only made Douglass more determined to get his release.

Escape to Freedom

Douglass meticulously plotted his escape in 1838. He brought papers proving he was a free black seaman while disguising himself as a sailor. He hopped on a train headed north on September 3, 1838. Douglass reached New York after a 24-hour journey as a free man. Around this time, he got married to Anna Murray, his first wife, and adopted the last name Douglass. At New Bedford, Massachusetts, Douglass and Anna established themselves.

Abolitionist

Douglass met with opponents of slavery in Massachusetts. Because of their desire to “abolish” slavery, these people were known as abolitionists. At gatherings, Frederick started to share his experiences as a slave. He was a gifted public speaker who moved audiences with his tale. He rose to fame, but this also increased his vulnerability to capture by his former masters. Douglass moved to Ireland and Britain where he continued to educate people about slavery while trying to avoid being apprehended.

Author

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Douglass’ autobiography, including his account of his time spent in slavery. The book achieved bestseller status. Eventually, he would pen two other accounts of his life, among them My Bondage and My Freedom and Life and Times of Frederick Douglass.

Defending women’s rights’

Douglass believed in the equality of all people and advocated for the freedom of the enslaved. He was unafraid to express his support for women’s voting rights. He collaborated with women’s rights campaigners like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and went to the first women’s rights convention at Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848.

American civil war

Douglass fought for the rights of black troops during the Civil War. Douglass requested that President Lincoln act when the South threatened to execute or enslave any captured black soldiers. Lincoln eventually issued a warning to the Confederacy, saying he would execute a rebel soldier for each Union prisoner they killed. President Lincoln and U.S. Congress were also visited by Douglass, who pressed for equal pay and treatment for black soldiers serving in the conflict.

Death and Legacy

On February 20, 1895, Douglass passed away from either a heart attack or a stroke. Yet, his works and numerous monuments, including the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge and the Frederick Douglass National Historic Park, continue to carry on his legacy.

Facts about Frederick Douglass

• Until she passed away, Douglass was married to his first wife Anna for 44 years. They had five kids together.
• Douglass rejected John Brown’s attempts to persuade him to take part in the raid on Harpers Ferry.
• The Equal Rights Party once put him forward for vice president of the United States.
• He worked on the issue of black suffrage with President Andrew Johnson (the right to vote).
• No man, he once asserted, “can put a chain around the ankle of his fellow man without at some point finding the other end fastened around his own neck.”

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