Frederick Douglass Biography
Frederick Douglass was the son of a black slave and an unidentified white man. In infancy, Douglass was separated from his mother. He was born somewhere from 1817-1818. Raised by his maternal grandmother, Douglass enjoyed a relatively happy childhood until he was pressed into slavery. Later, Douglass was transferred to the Baltimore household of Hugh Auld. Auld inadvertently provided Douglass with important insight into the slavery system. In an incident Douglass overheard Auld’s wife teaching her son how to read. Douglass undertook reading as an avenue to freedom. Douglass’s desire to escape continued to increase, so in 1838 he did. Once free, Douglass became a prominent figure in abolitionist movement very quickly. In 1841, he delivered his first public address. It was a very moving antislavery meeting. Douglass’s eloquent and cogent oratory led many to doubt that he was a former slave. Because he was a fugitive slave, Douglass fled to Great Britain in late 1845. When he returned to the United States in 1847, he had enough money to purchase his freedom and establish the “North Star”; a weekly abolitionist newspaper. During the 1850’s and early 1860’s, Douglass continued his activities as a journalist, abolitionist speaker, and autobiographer. By the outbreak of the Civil War, Douglass had emerged as a nationally recognized spokesman for black Americans and, in 1863, he advised President Lincoln on the use and treatment of black soldiers in the Union Army. Then he revised his final autobiographical work, The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass. This was in 1881. He was able to record numerous political honors, including presidential assignments as assistant secretary to Santo Domingo Commission, Marshal of the District of Columbia, the U.S. minister resident and consul-general to the Republic of Haiti. Douglass then died at his house in Washington D.C. in 1895, he was about 78.
Citations: "Frederick Douglass." Biography Resource Center. Gale, 2003. Web. 24 Feb. 2010.
"Frederick Douglass Profile Portrait." Student Resource Center-Gold. Gale. Web. 3 Mar. 2010.
Frederick Douglass was the son of a black slave and an unidentified white man. In infancy, Douglass was separated from his mother. He was born somewhere from 1817-1818. Raised by his maternal grandmother, Douglass enjoyed a relatively happy childhood until he was pressed into slavery. Later, Douglass was transferred to the Baltimore household of Hugh Auld. Auld inadvertently provided Douglass with important insight into the slavery system. In an incident Douglass overheard Auld’s wife teaching her son how to read. Douglass undertook reading as an avenue to freedom. Douglass’s desire to escape continued to increase, so in 1838 he did. Once free, Douglass became a prominent figure in abolitionist movement very quickly. In 1841, he delivered his first public address. It was a very moving antislavery meeting. Douglass’s eloquent and cogent oratory led many to doubt that he was a former slave. Because he was a fugitive slave, Douglass fled to Great Britain in late 1845. When he returned to the United States in 1847, he had enough money to purchase his freedom and establish the “North Star”; a weekly abolitionist newspaper. During the 1850’s and early 1860’s, Douglass continued his activities as a journalist, abolitionist speaker, and autobiographer. By the outbreak of the Civil War, Douglass had emerged as a nationally recognized spokesman for black Americans and, in 1863, he advised President Lincoln on the use and treatment of black soldiers in the Union Army. Then he revised his final autobiographical work, The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass. This was in 1881. He was able to record numerous political honors, including presidential assignments as assistant secretary to Santo Domingo Commission, Marshal of the District of Columbia, the U.S. minister resident and consul-general to the Republic of Haiti. Douglass then died at his house in Washington D.C. in 1895, he was about 78.
Citations: "Frederick Douglass." Biography Resource Center. Gale, 2003. Web. 24 Feb. 2010.
"Frederick Douglass Profile Portrait." Student Resource Center-Gold. Gale. Web. 3 Mar. 2010.
