Frederick Douglass Accomplishments

1513 Words7 Pages

The most important African American leader of the nineteenth century is the abolitionist, writer, and orator Frederick Douglass. Douglass was born into slavery sometime around 1818 in Talbot County, Maryland. (“Frederick Douglass Biography,’’ 2017.). Douglass did not know his birthday which is very common for slaves, and later in life he chose to celebrate it on February 14th because his mom used to call him as her little valentine. (“Shmoop Editorial Team,’’ 2008.). Douglass was separated from his mother after his birth. His mother was a slave, and she died when he was around 10 years old. Douglass’s father was a white man, perhaps even his master. Douglass never wanted to know who his father was because he knew that there was no way to find …show more content…

Douglass was lucky because it was the highest honor that slaves could achieve. Douglass was sent to work for a new master in Baltimore. He was taught to read and write by Baltimore slaveholder Hugh Auld’s wife Sophia and later on, Sophia gets in big trouble so she can not offer him a lesson. According to a ban of teaching slaves, her husband forbade her to offer Douglass a lesson. Douglass did not give up on his career, he continued to learn from white children in his neighborhood who did not know that colored people were not treated like a human being. When Douglass found a way to educate himself, he started to share his knowledge to other slaves in Baltimore, and that is where he learned of the power of education. (“Frederick Douglass Biography,’’ …show more content…

After he found a way to educate himself in Baltimore, he tried to fight back by using whatever knowledge that he had learned. Douglass finally succeeded after his first failed attempt. Later on, Douglass fell in love with Anna Murray who assisted him in his final attempt to escape slavery in Baltimore and they ended up married on September 15, 1838. Frederick and Anna Douglass had five children together: Rosetta, Lewis Henry, Frederick Jr., Charles Redmon and Annie. After Anna’s death, Douglass married to Helen Pitts, a white feminist from Honeoye New York. (“Frederick Douglass Biography,’’ 2017.). According to his escape at the age of twenty Douglass continued to work upon slavery because he promised to himself that he would not rest until he achieved his goals. (“History.com Staff,’’ 2009). The name ‘’Frederick Douglass’’ reminds people of a person with a mindful personality and courage. Douglass has left a great contribution. According to all the struggle and pain in his life, he understood how it felt like to be a slave and that is why he started sharing his story to help all those African American people. Douglas wanted to abolish slavery because he had seen his family sold, bought and beaten. According to his experience he did not want any innocent people to be harmed. His childhood kept reminding him that freedom is not easily

Open Document