Frederick Douglas

Frederick Douglas

By:

Jillian Gress

Ms. Holden

History 101

11/22/05

Frederick Douglass was one of the leaders of the abolitionist movement, which fought to end slavery within the United States. Douglas was a brilliant man and had a powerful voice for rights of African Americans and all humankind during this period. He was one of many people who spoke out about the injustices of slavery. He became recognized as one of America's first great black speakers.

Frederick Bailey was born a slave in February 1818 in Talbot County, on Maryland's Eastern Shore. He was born to Harriet Bailey, also a slave. He didn't know much about his father, only that he was a white man. Because his mother had to work long hours, Frederick was sent to live with his grandmother, Betsey Bailey. The role of his grandmother was to care for him and his siblings until they were old enough to work. When he was old enough, at about the age of 6 or 7, he was taken to Colonel Lloyd's Plantation. It was at this point, when his grandmother left him there, that he was to learn about the harsh realities of slavery. He never recovered from the betrayal of the abandonment.

While at this plantation, he witnessed and experienced what it was truly like to be a slave. His memories of his mother was formed from a few brief visits. In one of his memories, he remembered his mother scolding a house cook. A few months after this visit, she died. Frederick did not find out until much later, after her death. He was saddened by the fact that he did not get the opportunity to get to know his mother more. This was a part of slavery that he could never forgive. He witnessed the lashing of others. At times he felt the whip on his own flesh because of his resistance to slavery. For four years, he had to endure the hardships that accompanied being a slave at the Lloyd Plantation.

In 1826, he was sent to live with Hugh Auld, a relative of his master. Here, his duty was to run errands and take care of his son. Not long after his arrival to the Auld residence, his new mistress, Mrs. Sophia Auld, taught him the alphabet. Soon after, he began learning to read and write. All of that was put to a stop once Mr. Auld found out what was happening. Mrs. Auld stopped all lessons. Any time she caught Frederick reading, she raised her voice. He noticed her attitude change from when she first began his lessons. When she no longer taught him, he started offering white children rewards for teaching him their lessons. As he was learning, he was hearing slave owners talk badly about abolitionists for causing trouble about slavery. Frederick wanted to learn more about this. He started looking at articles in newspapers about abolitionism. These articles inspired him to seek his own freedom.

After an unsuccessful attempt from slavery, Frederick finally escaped in 1838. He boarded a train heading for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He dressed up like a sailor and also had a "sailor's protection." This is a document that certified that he was a free seaman. On September 4, 1838, He arrived in New York City. Once he stepped off the train, he couldn't find the words to express his freedom. Later on he wrote, " A new world has opened upon me." This marks a new beginning in his life.

Once in New York, he stayed with a free black man who was head of the local vigilance committee. He also sent for Anna Murray, the woman he fell in love with in Baltimore, and married her. After their marriage, they moved to New Bedford, Massachusetts. He changed his name from Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey to Frederick Douglass, a name which we are more familiar.

It was in 1841 that he was introduced into the abolitionist movement. He was invited by William Lloyd Garrison to speak at an anti-slavery convention. He hesitant because of fear that the public might reveal his whereabouts to his legal owner, who might reclaim his property. He spoke about his experiences in slavery. After being heard by others, the American Anti-Slavery Society hired him as a regular lecturer. He became one of the best-known orators in the United States. At this point, he was only three years out of slavery with no experience as a public speaker and with minimal education. During the remainder if 1841, Douglass traveled all over the Eastern part of Massachusetts with George Foster. George was a lot like Douglass in many ways and believed in the same ideas of equality and freedom for all. They both also went to Rhode Island to lecture against the proposed Dorr constitution. This sought to limit the right of suffrage to white male citizens only. With other abolitionists like Abby Foster and James Monroe, the proposed constitution was defeated, leaving the men who could meet the Rhode Island property qualifications were left with the right to vote.

Over the next few years, Douglass continued traveling around the Northern states giving more speeches and lecturing on his experience of slavery and other discriminatory issues. There were many people that were opposed to his views. He went to Pennsylvania to attend a convention. It was here that there was an attempt to lynch him.

As he lectured more, his abilities continued to grow. Many abolitionists thought he should slow down. They thought that he would lose his audience. This indeed happened. The more he spoke, more people started to doubt him because of the way he spoke. People didn't think that a man, who had recently got out of slavery, could speak in such a profound way. A way that could match that of an educated white man.

With his reputation at stake, Frederick decided to publish the story of his life. He did not care if his former slave owner learned who he was, he just wanted the world to know his story. In 1845, 5,000 copies of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave was published. Almost immediately, his autobiography became a best seller. Douglass's fame as an author threatened his freedom. The fear of losing his freedom had made him pursue a dream of going to England. In England he would not have to worry about slave catchers. He would also have the opportunity to speak and try to gain support for the American Anti-slavery movement.

By 1845, the Douglass's had 4 children. His wife basically raised them on her own since Frederick was gone for lengths of time giving speeches and working. She took care of the children and ran a shoe factory in Lynn Massachusetts.