Frederick Douglass

Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, who later became known as Frederick Douglass, was born a slave in Talbot County, Maryland, near Hillsboro. He was separated from his mother, Harriet Bailey, when he was still an infant. She died when Douglass was about seven. The identity of Douglass’ father is obscure. Douglass originally stated that his father was a white man, perhaps his owner, Aaron Anthony, but he later said he knew nothing of his father’s identity. At the age of six, Douglass was separated from his grandmother and moved to the Wye House plantation, where Anthony worked as overseer. When Anthony died, Douglass was given to Lucretia Auld, wife of Thomas Auld. Mrs. Auld sent Douglass to Baltimore to serve Thomas’ brother, Hugh Auld. When Douglass was about twelve, Hugh Auld’s wife, Sophia, broke the law by teaching him some letters of the alphabet. Douglass succeeded in learning to read form white children in the neighborhood in which he lived, and by observing the writings of the men with whom he worked. When Hugh Auld discovered this, he strongly disapproved, saying that if a slave learned to read, he would become dissatisfied with his condition and desire freedom. Douglass later referred to this as the first anti-abolitionist speech he had ever heard. In 1833, Thomas Auld took Douglass back from his brother after a dispute, in a way of punishing his brother. Dissatisfied with him, Thomas Auld then sent Douglass to work for Edward Covey, a poor farmer who had a reputation as a “slave-breaker” where Douglass was whipped regularly. Sixteen-year-old Douglass was indeed nearly broken psychologically by his ordeal under Covey. Douglass successfully escaped slavery on September 3, 1838, boarding a train to Havre de Grace, Maryland, dressed in a sailor’s uniform and carrying identification papers provided by a free black sailor. His escape to freedom eventually led him to New York, the entire journey taking less than 24 hours. Douglass “officially” won his freedom when British sympathizers paid the slaveholder who legally still owned him. Douglass would credit The Columbian orator, which he discovered when he was around twelve years old, with clarifying and defining his views of freedom and human rights. When he was hired out to a Mr. Freeman, Douglass taught slaves how to read the New Testament at a Sabbath school on the plantation. Douglass joined various organizations in New Bedford, Massachusetts, including a black church, and regularly attended abolitionist meetings. He subscribed to William Lloyd Garrison’s weekly journal. The Liberator, and in 1841, he heard Garrison speak at a maaetting of the Bristol Anti-Slavery Society. Douglass was unexpectedly asked to speak at one of these mettings, where he told his tory and was encouraged to become an anti-slavery lecturer. Garrison was likewise impressed with Douglass, and wrote of him in The Liberator. Several days later, Douglass deleivered his first speech at the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society’s annual convention in Nantucket. Twenty-three years old at the time, Dougass later said that his legs were shaking. He conquered his nervousness and gave an eloquent speech about his rough life as a slave. In 1843, Douglass participated in the American Anti-Slavery Society’s Hundred Conventions project, a six month tour of meeting halls throughout the Eastern and Midwestern United States. He participated in the Seneca Falls Convention, the birthplace of the

American feminist movement, and was a signatory of its Declaration of Sentiments. Douglass’ best-known work is his first autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick doulgass, an American Slave, which was published in 1845. the book’s success had an unfortunate side effect, Douglass’ friends and mentors feared that the publicity would draw the attention of his ex-owner, Hugh Auld, who might try to get his “property” back. The 1845 Narrative, which was his biggest sller, was followed by My Bondage and My fReedom in 1855. In 1881, after the Civil War, Douglass brought out Life and Times of Frederick douglass, which he revised in 1892. By the time of the Civil War, Doulgass was one of the most famous black men in the country, known for his oratories on the condition of the black race, and other issues such as women’s rights. Douglass then fought for equality for his people. He and Lincoln worked together to provide plans to move the liberated slaves out of the South. Lincoln had expressed doubts about the war ever ending, but soon enough the Confederate forces gave in to the Union and the Civil War was over. He serves as president of the Reconstruction era Fredman’s Savings Bank, as marshal of the District of Columbia, ministerresident and consul-general to the Republic of Haiti, and as charge d’affaires for the Dominican Republic. In 1872, Doulgass became the first African American to receive a nomination for Vice President of the United States, having been nominated to be Victoria Woodhull’s running mate on the Equal Rights Party ticket without his knowledge. Douglass spoke at many schools around the country in the Reconstruction era, including Bates College in Lewiston, Maine in 1873. In 1921, members of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity designated Frederick Douglass as an honorary member of the fraternity. He holds the distinction of being the only member initiated posthumously.