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Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass  was an American abolitionist, editor, orator, author, statesman and reformer. Called "The Sage of Anacostia" and "The Lion of Anacostia", Douglass is one of the most prominent figures in African American history and a formidable public presence. He was a firm believer in the equality of all people, whether black, female, Native American, or recent immigrant. He was fond of saying, "I would unite with anybody to do right and with nobody to do wrong."

  • Nationality: American
  • Birth Date: Feb 1818
  • Death Date: 20 Feb 1895
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Available Works

My Bondage and My Freedom (1855)
My Bondage and My Freedom is an autobiographical slave narrative written by Frederick Douglass and published in 1855. It is the second of three autobiographies written by Douglass, and is mainly an expansion of his first (Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass), discussing in greater detail his transition from bondage to liberty. Douglass, a former slave, following his liberation went on to become a prominent abolitionist, speaker, author, and publisher.

Individual Passages

Excerpt from Frederick Douglass' Speech to the People of Rochester, New York on the Hypocrisy of Slavery, July 4, 1852
Excerpt from Frederick Douglass' speech outlining the hypocritical nature of slavery in the United States of America.
Oration in Memory of Abraham Lincoln, Washington, D.C., April 14, 1876
Frederick Douglass speaks at the unveiling of the Lincoln Monument (now known as the Emancipation Memorial) in Washington, D.C., April 14, 1876. The monument was paid for solely with funds donated from freed slaves.