Frederick Douglass

Frederick understood the importance of reading. He knew that by reading he could find out about new ideas. When he learned to read it led him to become a great writer, speaker, and fighter for civil rights.

Frederick Douglass Douglass was born in 1818 He was taught by Sophia Auld who he lived with. However, her husband stopped the lessons because Douglass was not a free person. In the early 1800’s it was against the law for enslaved people to learn to read.

Frederick Douglass It was against the law because slave owners were afraid that slaves would learn about freedom if they read. Frederick decided he wanted to read no matter what. He gave away food to learn what others had learned at school. He would read the books of Thomas Auld the child of his owners.

Frederick Douglass By the time he was 12 Frederick was a pretty good reader. The more he read the more he hated being enslaved. His knowledge through books gave him a dream about liberty. Since he read so much he was a great speaker and writer which he used to argue for the freedom of enslaved people.

Frederick Douglass The idea of slavery divided the United State of America. In states that allowed slavery people were bought and owned. They had to work for no pay. Slaves had no rights and they were treated however the slave owners wanted. Even slaves who were treated well were still not free. Douglass wanted every slave to have freedom. Free States and Territories Slave States Territories Open to Slavery

Frederick Douglass Douglass was given a job as a shipbuilder in Baltimore by his owner. Any money he earned went to his owner. While he was working in Baltimore Douglass planned a way to escape. Baltimore was a busy city with trains and ships that left to states where slavery was outlawed.

Frederick Douglass However no slave could go anywhere without the permission of their owners. In Baltimore slaves could travel out of the state if they could prove they were free. On September 3, 1838 Douglass dressed up as a sailor and got aboard a train heading north. Douglass borrowed papers from a free African American saying that he was free.

Frederick Douglass Since he didn’t look like the man in his papers Douglass was afraid that he was going to get caught. The conductor only glanced at his papers and Douglass was on his way to New York a free state. However, there were slave catchers who caught escaped slaves and brought them back for money.

Frederick Douglass Douglass moved to New Bedford, Massachusetts. There he attended abolitionist meetings to try and end slavery. In 1841 he gave a very powerful speech for the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society. More groups wanted to hear Douglass speak so he used his freedom of expression to help earn the freedom for slaves.

Frederick Douglass He gave hundreds of antislavery speeches in states in the Northeast. Giving speeches about not having slavery was very dangerous. They could get hurt by people who didn’t agree with them.

Frederick Douglass Many people didn’t believe that Douglass had been a slave since he had such a good education. To prove that he was a slave he wrote his own life story (autobiography). Many people read it and Douglass put himself in danger from slave catchers who could have found out about him.

Frederick Douglass Douglass traveled to Great Britain. This was a country that had made slavery illegal. He stayed there for two years giving speeches. He earned money there to pay for his freedom. He paid Hugh Auld $ to become free on December 5, 1846.

Frederick Douglass He moved back to Rochester, New York and started a anti-slavery newspaper called The North Star. He wrote many articles in favor of rights for African Americans. This allowed his ideas to go all over the United States.

Frederick Douglass He also supported the right of women to vote. He met and worked with Susan B. Anthony in New York. They worked together to try and end slavery as well as earn rights for women.

Frederick Douglass Douglass hid escaped slaves at his home in New York. He was a part of the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad was a secret network of people, routes, and hiding places that helped slaves escape to freedom. Douglass gave food and shelter to slaves and helped them get to their next spot.

Frederick Douglass Rochester, New York was an important stop on the railroad because it was near Canada. Canada didn’t allow slavery and if you could make it to Canada you could live safely.

Frederick Douglass The disagreement about slavery led the United States into the Civil War. Some states left the United States and fought over the right to practice slavery and other issues. After the war ended President Lincoln announced that all slaves were free. (The Emancipation Proclamation).

Frederick Douglass During the war Douglass wanted African Americans to sign up to be apart of the Union Army. They got treated unfairly in the Union Army and Douglass told President Lincoln about it.

Frederick Douglass When President Lincoln was elected a 2 nd time Douglass went to congratulate him. Since he was black the police wouldn’t let him come in. Lincoln heard about this and told them to let Douglass in.

Frederick Douglass When the Union won the Civil War they ended slavery. Prejudice, or a strong feeling or opinion formed unfairly or without knowing all the facts about a group of people, was still very rampant. Douglass still wrote and gave speeches about the rights of everyone and justice for all.

Frederick Douglass In 1967 Douglass became the first African American to be pictured on a postage stamp. This was in honor of his hard work toward rights for everyone. He has many schools named after him in Eastern United States. He is often admired because of his bravery and strength. Although he knew that his work wouldn’t be finished in his life time he kept working.

Character Traits Liberty means freedom. Douglass wanted freedom for everyone. Justice or fair treatment. Douglass spoke out against laws that took away civil rights from African Americans and women. Freedom of expression means that people have the right to think and say what they believe. Douglass spoke and wrote about the evils of slavery.