Frederick Douglass

1817(?)-1895

Douglass was born into slavery in Talbot County, Maryland

and was separated from his mother soon after birth.

Because birth records were not kept for children born in slavery, Douglass was never sure of his exact age.

He received no formal education, but taught himself how to read with the help of members of the household he served.

Later on these same people were enraged when they saw him reading a book or a newspaper.

When he was about 21, Douglass escaped to

freedom in Massachusetts where he married and began speaking publicly against slavery.

Also at this time, he changed his last name from Bailey to Douglass after the hero in The Lady of the Lake by Sir Walter Scott.

In 1845, Douglass moved to England, mainly to escape

the danger he faced as a runaway slave, especially after the publication of his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave.

While there he continued to speak out against slavery, and British friends collected around 700 dollars and bought his freedom.

Douglass returned to the U.S. in 1847 and founded the North Star a newspaper dedicated to the abolitionist movement.

In 1855, he published a revised version of his life story, My

Bondage and My Freedom.

During the Civil War, he worked for the Underground Railroad and recruited black soldiers for the Union Army.

After the war, Douglass was a big supporter of education for former slaves, stating that it was the surest way to rehabilitate.

In 1881, he published another version of his autobiography, The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass.