Who was Who was Frederick Frederick Douglass?Douglass?

Slave YearsSlave Years

1818 – 18951818 – 1895 Frederick Baily was born a slave in Frederick Baily was born a slave in

MarylandMaryland His mother, Harriet Baily was a His mother, Harriet Baily was a

slave. His father was a white man slave. His father was a white man that he did not know.that he did not know.

He did everything he could to learn He did everything he could to learn to read.to read.

At age 13 he began At age 13 he began to look for ways to to look for ways to earn his freedom.earn his freedom.

He read the He read the Columbian OratorColumbian Orator, a , a collection of collection of speeches dealing speeches dealing with freedom, with freedom, courage, and courage, and democracy.democracy.

He secretly taught He secretly taught other slaves to read.other slaves to read.

Frederick was Frederick was beaten quite often beaten quite often until he started to until he started to fight back.fight back.

He spent time in He spent time in prison after prison after attempting an attempting an escape.escape.

He later became an He later became an expert as a caulker expert as a caulker in a shipyard.in a shipyard.

Frederick planned his Frederick planned his escape north.escape north.

Arrived in New York Arrived in New York City, a free state.City, a free state.

““A new world had A new world had opened upon me. opened upon me. Anguish and grief, like Anguish and grief, like darkness and rain, may darkness and rain, may be depicted, but be depicted, but gladness and joy, like gladness and joy, like the rainbow, defy the the rainbow, defy the skill of pen or pencil.” skill of pen or pencil.” FDFD

Becoming an abolitionistBecoming an abolitionist New Bedford, MA became New Bedford, MA became

the new home of the new home of Frederick.Frederick.

He changed his name to He changed his name to Douglas in case slave Douglas in case slave catchers were in the area.catchers were in the area.

He became involved with He became involved with William Lloyd Garrison’s William Lloyd Garrison’s LiberatorLiberator. “The paper . “The paper became my meat and became my meat and drink. My soul was set all drink. My soul was set all on fire.”on fire.”

This led to his involvement This led to his involvement in the abolitionist in the abolitionist movement.movement.

A skilled lecturerA skilled lecturer He was He was

anticolonizationanticolonization.. Mr. Garrison hired Mr. Garrison hired

Frederick as a Frederick as a traveling lecturer for traveling lecturer for the abolitionist the abolitionist movement. movement.

The Herald of Freedom The Herald of Freedom reported that Douglas: reported that Douglas: “has wit, arguments, “has wit, arguments, sarcasm, pathos – all sarcasm, pathos – all that first rate men that first rate men show in their master show in their master effort.”effort.”

On the Way to FreedomOn the Way to Freedom 1845 Frederick wrote 1845 Frederick wrote

the the Narrative of Narrative of Frederick Douglas, an Frederick Douglas, an American SlaveAmerican Slave. .

He then traveled to He then traveled to England and England and continued the continued the antislavery antislavery movement.movement.

In 1846 Douglas’s In 1846 Douglas’s freedom was bought freedom was bought for $710.96 and he for $710.96 and he returned to America.returned to America.

The North StarThe North Star NewspaperNewspaper

He moved to Rochester, He moved to Rochester, NY and started in own NY and started in own abolitionist paper abolitionist paper called the called the North StarNorth Star..

Founded by Douglass Founded by Douglass in 1847in 1847

He was the editor and He was the editor and publisher of this four publisher of this four page weekly paper.page weekly paper.

Later became the Later became the Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass PaperPaper

Life in RochesterLife in Rochester

It took the help of It took the help of many people and many people and Frederick’s lecture Frederick’s lecture circuit to keep up circuit to keep up with the with the newspaper’s costs.newspaper’s costs.

He also helped He also helped Susan B. Anthony Susan B. Anthony and Lucretia Mott and Lucretia Mott in the women’s in the women’s movement. movement.

Changing viewpointsChanging viewpoints Frederick broke with Frederick broke with

William Lloyd William Lloyd Garrison’s passive Garrison’s passive movement and joined movement and joined with John Brown.with John Brown.

John Brown taught John Brown taught that “ slaveholders that “ slaveholders had forfeited their had forfeited their right to live, and that right to live, and that slaves had the right slaves had the right to gain their liberty to gain their liberty in any way they in any way they could.”could.”

Civil War YearsCivil War Years Frederick was Frederick was

instrumental in instrumental in recruiting black soldiers recruiting black soldiers for the Union army.for the Union army.

He met with Abraham He met with Abraham Lincoln to discuss how Lincoln to discuss how to end slavery and was to end slavery and was considered to be a good considered to be a good friend of the president. friend of the president.

Even after Even after emancipation, emancipation, Frederick continued the Frederick continued the fight for equality. fight for equality.

Campaigned for voting Campaigned for voting rights for both black rights for both black men and all women.men and all women.

He would move to He would move to Washington DC and Washington DC and became involved became involved with political figures. with political figures.

He wrote another He wrote another book, the book, the Life and Life and Times of Frederick Times of Frederick DouglasDouglas..

Frederick died at the Frederick died at the age of 77 in 1895 age of 77 in 1895 because of a heart because of a heart attack.attack.