Fredrick Douglass was born in Maryland, Talbot County, as "Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey" in the year which he himself does not know just like most slaves since they were not allowed to know their ages. Though it is estimated that Fredrick Douglass was born in the year 1818, he (Douglass) stated: "I have no accurate knowledge of my age, never having seen any authentic record containing it" (Douglass, n.d.). Douglass was an African-American abolitionist, statesman, social reformer, writer, and an orator. Douglas was born form Harriet Bailey, the daughter of one Betsey and Isaac Bailey. Soon after he (Douglass) was born, he and his mother got separated which was the normal thing to do in the slave world by the slave owners. According to Douglass, the custom of separating mother and child had one primary purpose, and that was to break the affection bond between the two. When Douglass turned seven, his mother Harriet passed on, but when he gets this saddening news, Douglass is barely affected. Douglass grew up a slave and later escaped from Maryland slavery after which he became the national frontrunner of the abolitionist crusade in New York and Massachusetts. He gained note due to the dazzling oratory that he had and the antislavery writings which were incisive. During this time, most people especially the northerners had a hard time coming to terms with the fact that the person who was once owned, a slave is now the great orator in the country.
Douglass, unlike other slaves, was lucky to find an owner Sophia, wife to Hugh Auld who defied the ban on educating slaves on how to read and write. Sophia taught Douglass about alphabets at the age of 12; she was forced to stop giving more lessons to Douglas by her husband, Auld. Despite this, Douglass learning spirit did not go down as he continued learning on his own though from the neighborhood and the white children (Midler, 2017).
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When Douglass grows into a young man and is now expected to serve his masters fully and obey them, his fighting spirit awakens. As a result, his then master decides to send him to Covey, the slave breaker who was very notorious. This was after he talked back to his new owner after the death of his prior owner, Captain Anthony. The purpose of the salve breaker was to mistreat and beat slave until they reach their breaking point and start following the direction given to them by their owners. After the long periods of torture and mistreatment, Douglass decided it was enough, and he fought back. Though the experience had left him with deep scars both physically and mentally, it became his strength and driving force for his escape from slavery (Biography Online, n.d.). He then began making the escape plan, but before he could go deeper, he was discovered and resulted in his arrest which got him a ticket to prison (Biography Online, n.d.). Two times now, his escaping plans failed. However, later as he served his time, he met Anna Murray-Douglass, who was a black woman though free. They later fall in love after which she opts to help planning Douglass escape by spending the savings that she had. Dressed as a sailor, in the year 1838 September, 3rd Douglass escaped through a train to Philadelphia and then a steamboat to New York (Biography Online, n.d.). In New York, he temporarily stayed in the company of David Ruggles who was a New York abolitionist. It was a fresh breath for Fredrick Douglas, after failing two times to escape from slavery, the third time he made it with the help of Anna (HRF, 2016). He later wrote of his joy as a freeman stepping foot in the free land and leaving behind the slavery life. Approximately two weeks later after his escape and arrival to New York, he and Anna finally got married.
After Douglas and Anna got married, they left for New Bedford, in Massachusetts where they settled and became actively engaged in the anti-slavery campaigns. Douglass got influenced by Garrison William Lloyd, who was the fiercest campaigner against slavery and had an uncompromising view regarding the abolishment of slavery. Douglass became more devoted to the course of ending slavery after hearing Garrisons' speech. In his weekly published journal, Garrison mentions Douglass. When he was 23, the year 1841, Douglass received an invitation to attend the anti-slavery meeting and give his speech. He spoke passionately about the painful life he has had earlier under the owners he had and the present life which was full of freedom. Here, Garrison became not only did he become a supporter but also a friend of Douglass that he gave him an invitation to the US lecture tour. For six months, Douglass travelled across the mid-East and West US giving out lectures on the topic slavery abolition. He faced a lot of resistance that he even ended up with a broken arm after he got attacked. Many people were mesmerized at the site of an African-American man having a great intellect and eloquence as he spoke. With the powerful speeches that he gave to the people, he successfully managed to change the mind of many people on their views not just in slavery but towards black men who at that moment were believed to be racially inferior thus difficult to be integrated properly within the society (Biography Online, n.d.). Douglass became an influential example of humanity, charisma, and intellect, thus undermining the days’ racism views. He managed to create a moral and strong case against bondage. Being free illegally, Douglass had to seek refuge in Ireland for some time where he got legal freedom and returned to the U.S. as a legally free man (HRF, 2016).
In 1845, his first work, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave was published. It later received great appraisals from critics which made it become the bestselling with more than 4,999 copies sold within a period of four months since the date of publication. The biography became the best ever among the famous narratives produced by ex-slaves in that period. Besides, the memoir secured a very crucial role in powering the 19th-century movement of American Abolitionist (Anirudh, 2015). He also produced other works which are considered to be the American autobiography classics. Douglass published two other autobiographies, one in the year 1855 My Bondage and My Freedom and the other one in the year 1881, Life and Times of Frederick Douglass (Anirudh, 2015). Both publications provided additional detail in regard to the transition he had to liberty from bondage, with the final done after the American slave’s emancipation following Civil War. All the works done by Douglass were crucial to the widespread of anti-slavery sentiment (Anirudh, 2015). Apart from autobiographies, Douglass also came up with most influential newspaper, specifically anti-slavery referred to as The North Star. This paper was established in 1874 on the 3rd of December and developed to be that times most influential antislavery publication of the African Americans. Published only once a week, it reached more than 4000 different readers across West Indies, U.S., and Europe. After 44 years of marriage, Anna Douglass’s wife passed away in 1882, leaving behind five children (Biography Online, n.d.). He later marries a white woman Helen Pitts who is a Honeoye, New York, feminist (Midler, 2017).
Fredrick Douglas was a great orator, and the 4th July Speech was remarkable. On this date he used his fiery speech to lecture to the public; his speech targeted all the citizens of America regardless of the color, gender, or nativity. The most famed speech is believed to be "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro" that was delivered at the event which was organized by Rochester Anti-Slavery Sewing Society in 1852 July 5th. Later, inform of a pamphlet, it was distributed across the nation and is used for literature purposes and regarded as the oration on anti-slavery of all times (Anirudh, 2015). Douglass also took part in the women suffrage advocating for them at the Seneca Convention Falls that happened in New York July 1848 which was the first ever women convention advocating for their rights. All the present people were white apart from Douglass, the only black person present. Douglass argued his point out eloquently favoring women inclusion in the world’s happenings. He argued how great the world will be if only women were involved in politics. With his speech, suffrage resolution was passed (Anirudh, 2015).
When Civil War started, Douglass had a major role to play. During the Civil War, only the whites were allowed to fight, as a result, Douglass pushed for the blacks to be allowed to fight since it would be for the purpose of their freedom. He continued arguing until 1863 when Abraham Lincoln, the then President of U.S gave him the mandate to recruit black soldiers to serve the Northern Union army. When the Civil War came to an end, so did slavery, despite this, Fredrick Douglass never got a chance to rest, since new challenges came in during the period of reconstruction. Slavery was no more, but its partner, racism failed to end. In the year 1870, Fredrick Douglass together with his sons started publishing a newspaper by the name the New National Era in Washington, D.C. The papers’ primary purpose was to address the issues that remained after civil war and slavery.
Later in the year 1877, President Hayes B. Rutherford appointed Douglass to the U.S. marshal post for Columbia District. Ever since this appointment, until 1982, he dealt with offices succession including the offices of the minister to the Haiti Republic and Columbia district deeds recorder. After discovering that the American businessmen had taken advantage of the position he held in the dealings of their own with the Government of Haiti, he resigned from his post. Three years later, on the 20th of February 1895, Fredrick Douglass passed away in Washington, D.C.
Douglass was a brilliant African American abolitionist, statesman, social reformer, writer and an orator who stopped at nothing until he achieved whatever he was after. From the beginning, despite the challenges, he never lost hope his teacher, was snatched away but he continued learning and was able to read and write. Twice he got caught trying to escape from slavery but he did not lose hope, he still persuaded his goal and managed to get freedom at last. He took on a rough path which he knew would not be easy, all for the sake of ending slavery and bringing freedom to all. Never did Douglass lose hope all he did was fight for the right course and this he was able to achieve in all sectors. Douglass played a significant role in the shaping of the American history; he could have opted to live as a free man with his family, but instead, he dedicated and risked his life advocating for favors and freedom for the African Americans.
References
Biography Online. (n.d.). Frederick Douglass Biography. Biography Online. Retrieved from .biographyonline.net/writers/frederick-douglass.html
Douglas, Fredrick. (n.d). Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave. New York: Barnes & Noble Classics. Retrieved from http://humanitiesforwisdom.org/uploads/5/8/9/8/58987361/frederick_douglass.pdf
Anirudh. (2015, September 2). 10 Major Accomplishments of Frederick Douglass. Learnodo Newtonic. Retrieved from learnodo-newtonic.com/frederick-douglass-accomplishments
HRF. (2016, February 4). 4 Major Accomplishments of Frederick Douglass. Health Research Funding. Retrieved from https://healthresearchfunding.org/4-major-accomplishments-of-frederick-douglass/
Midler, Bette. ( 2017, November 20). Frederick Douglass. A&E Television Networks . Retrieved from www.biography.com/people/frederick-douglass-9278324
