Gourt > Arts > Literature > World Literature > American > 19th Century > Douglass, Frederick (1)
Frederick Douglass (February 14, 1818 – February 20, 1895) was an American abolitionist, editor, orator, author, statesman and reformer. Called "The Sage of Anacostia" and "The Lion of Anacostia," Douglass was among the most prominent African Americans of his time, and one of the most influential lecturers and authors in American history.
Career
Early Life
Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, who later became known as Frederick Douglass, was born a slave in Talbot County, Maryland near Hillsboro. He was separated from his mother, Harriet Bailey, when he was still an infant. She died when Douglass was about seven years old. The identity of Douglass' father is obscure; Douglass originally stated that his father was a white man, perhaps his master, Captain Aaron Anthony, but later said that he knew nothing of his father's identity. When Anthony died, Douglass was given to Mrs. Lucretia Auld, wife of Captain Thomas Auld; the young man was sent to Baltimore to serve the Captain's brother, Hugh Auld. When Douglass was about twelve, Hugh Auld's wife, Sophia, broke the law by teaching Douglass some letters of the alphabet. Thereafter, as detailed in his Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave (published in 1845), Douglass succeeded in learning to read from white children in the neighborhood in which he lived, and by observation of writings of the men with whom he worked. Douglass later referred to the lessons he received from Sophia Auld in his first abolitionist speech.
In 1837, Douglass met Anna Murray, who sold a poster bed to buy sailor's papers needed for Frederick Douglass's escape. Douglass escaped slavery on September 3, 1838 boarding a train to Havre de Grace, Maryland dressed in a sailor's uniform and carrying identification papers provided by a free black seaman. After crossing the Susquehanna River by ferry boat at Havre de Grace, Douglass continued by train to Wilmington, Delaware. From there Douglass went by steamboat to "Quaker City"—Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His escape to freedom eventually led him to New York, the entire journey taking less than twenty-four hours.
More on [ Frederick Douglass ]
History :: African American
Civil Rights Movement :: United States
Off to my history class. Have a presentation on Frederick Douglass and one of his speeches tonight. Yay. I
Heather4JT (Heather Fisher) Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:42:04 -0000
Off to my history class. Have a presentation on Frederick Douglass and one of his speeches tonight. Yay. I
"Withouth struggle, there is no progress."- Frederick Douglass
Prettybr0wnEyes (Ms. Combs) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:55:08 -0000
"Withouth struggle, there is no progress."- Frederick Douglass
#jrnl11 The angle of my story on "Frederick Douglass Circle" is about how it promotes diversity on campus.
RacBru (Rachel Brueno) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:27:39 -0000
#jrnl11 The angle of my story on "Frederick Douglass Circle" is about how it promotes diversity on campus.
In what ways was Frederick Douglass' Narrative an example of abolitionist propaganda? Who was his audience and how did he appeal to them?
jordychristine (Jordan Christine) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:07:43 -0000
In what ways was Frederick Douglass' Narrative an example of abolitionist propaganda? Who was his audience and how did he appeal to them?
What two arguments does Frederick Douglass response to in his essay, "The Claims of the Negro Ethnologically Considered"?
mscrismusic (Ms.Cris) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:51:58 -0000
What two arguments does Frederick Douglass response to in his essay, "The Claims of the Negro Ethnologically Considered"?
As Frederick Douglass said, "Without hustle, there is no success." Words to live by...
kassiusking702 (Kassius King) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:38:43 -0000
As Frederick Douglass said, "Without hustle, there is no success." Words to live by...
About Frederick Douglass - Background information about Douglass, based on an article by William Garrison.
Meta Description: [ Frederick Douglass, Orator ]
American Civil War: Frederick Douglass - Biography and related links.
Meta Description: [ Frederick Douglass recruited over one hundred free blacks from upstate New York for the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts. ]
Frederick Douglass - An 1899 biography, by Charles W. Chesnutt. In plain text, with or without accented characters. Zip files also available. At Project Gutenberg.
Meta Description: [ Download the free eBook: Frederick Douglass by Charles W. Chesnutt ]
500
Frederick Douglass - Abolitionist and Editor - Includes sections on The Slave Years, The Beginnings of an Abolitionist, The Rochester Years, The Civil War Years - The Fight for Emancipation, Life After the 13th Amendment, Chronology and Further Reading.
Frederick Douglass - African American Historical Figure - Biographical information.
Meta Description: [ Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman and Sojurner Truth are popular African American figures. The Bright Moments web site tells you about thesewell known figures as well as lesser known, yet significant figures from African American history. (Mary Church Terrell, Mary Ann Shadd, Nat Turner, Richar... ]
500
Frederick Douglass Museum - Frederick Douglass Chronology - Chronology.
Frederick Douglass Papers - The Frederick Douglass Papers project collects and publishes his speeches and writings. The site gives information about this 19th-century African American abolitionist and reformer.
Frederick Douglass Resources - Resources for the study of Douglass.
Meta Description: [ Frederick Douglass: links to texts, lecture notes, bibliographies, information ]
Frederick Douglass: A Monumental Rebuke to Slavery - biographical information.
Meta Description: [ Links to Baltimore Maryland's neighborhoods, communities, associations, personal home pages, museums and other items of interest. Exclusive home page
and community web page registry. ]
Free Online Library - Douglass, Frederick - Biography of Frederick Douglass and online e-texts of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass An American Slave.
Meta Description: [ Frederick Douglass online books, Douglass, Frederick - Free Online Library - Frederick Douglass Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass An American Slave, best known authors and titles are available on the Free Online Library ]
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass - Biographical sketches of this pioneer advocate for abolition of slavery, vocational education and economic self-help, political agitation, and nonviolent protests to advance the rights of African Americans.
Portrait of Frederick Douglass - By Alan Rice, Lecturer in American Studies and Cultural Theory at the University of Central Lancashire.
| Falling Down-Coming Undone | |
| Next Video | |
