My Bondage My FreedomBy Frederick Douglass

Author Background• Born on February 14, 1818.

• Born into slavery.

• Separated from mother when he was still an infant.

• His mother died when he was just seven years old.

• Began learning the alphabet when he was twelve taught by authors wife.

• Participated in American Anti-Slavery society.

Author Background

• Tried to run away from his master but got caught. Then eventually did run away to New York.

• Frederick was an American abolitionist, women's suffrage, editor, orator, author, statesman and reformer.

• First African American nominated for Vice President.

• Served as an Advisor to President Lincoln during the civil war.

Author Background

• Married Anna Murray in 1837.• They had five children.• Wife Died in 1882• Also a minister of the African

Methodist Episcopal• Most prominent figure in African

American History.• Appointed United States Marshal.

Author Background

• Most prominent figure in African American History.

• Appointed United States Marshal.

• Died February 20, 1895.

• Died of major heart attack.

Abolitionist/Editor

• Published his autobiography called My Bondage and My Freedom in 1845.

• Published his antislavery paper called the North Star in 1847.

• Merged the North Star with another paper to create the Frederick Douglass’ Paper

Douglass’ Transcendental View

• Says “Nature made us friends while slavery made us enemies.”

• Means that nature brought racism to a huge decline while slavery has made African Americans seem as their objects and has made them enemies.

Historical Relevance

• Updated his previous autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.

• Gave a first hand view of a slave’s struggle to learn.