The abolitionist movement of the 1800s includes many heroes. Each risked personal harm, got in trouble with the law, and even lost life for their good deeds. Each’s work influenced the world positively, and the contributions continue to live on today. Of these heroes, Fredrick Douglass is one of the most impactful, and in this essay, we will explore just how Fredrick Douglass changed the world. Douglass’s contributions to the abolitionist movement are numerous. As a young man of only twenty, he escaped the tyrannical, evil clutches of slavery, and in his freedom taught himself how to read and write (Library of Congress, 2017). He eventually used these exact skills to write and edit for an abolitionist newspaper. With his wit and charm, he eventually moved up into becoming a public speaker, who used his platform to display these beliefs through power words. Douglass definitely had a way with words, and knew how to weave them into powerful statements. He wrote an autobiography that outlined his experience when he was a slave. This work highlighted the horrors of how enslaved people were treated, opening up many eyes to the reality of this situation, showing what was possible, and inspired countless amounts of people. He toured throughout Europe, telling these same stories, and continued to write for an …show more content…
He additionally believed and fought for women’s rights. His model for action and personal example inspired other famous speakers, like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X (Hatcher, 2013). Of course, if not for his activism to free the enslaved, these people would not have a platform to demand further positive change. Today, Frederick and other black groundbreaker’s work allow for the further work of the NWACP, Affirmative Action, and other such things. We stand on the back of Frederick Douglass, so we can see all the possibilities beyond
Shmoop, Shmoop University, 11 Nov. 2008, www.shmoop.com/abolition/frederick-douglass.html. Shmoop Editorial Team. “William Lloyd Garrison in Abolitionists.” Shmoop, Shmoop University, 11 Nov. 2008,
Frederick Douglass was a big part of ending slavery and he was just great all around. Frederick was a man with determination no matter what it took. He was going to put an end to slavery. He was going to put an end to it for reasons like he talked to people. He wrote he risked his life.
Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison were the most famous abolitionists who spoke out publicly against slavery and racial discrimination. They were also strong supporters of women’s rights. Phillis Wheatley and Douglass were both black writers and in favor of the abolition movement. Douglass himself escaped from slavery and went from courage to freedom. He published his autobiography “The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass,” that is considered works of the narrative slave tradition and life learning lessons that he encountered.
Frederick Douglass was born in a slave cabin near Talbot County, Maryland, in February, 1818. and died on February 20, 1895. Douglass was attending a meeting of the National Council of Women in Washington, D.C. Returning home, Douglass died of a massive heart attack or stroke. He was buried in Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester, New York.
Junior Toussaint History before 1852 Professor Yousefian 5/10/15 Essay 4 In class we’ve talked about Frederick Douglas and the abolitionist movement. The class has gathered opinions from his autobiography and speech on the fourth of July. We use this to criticize the declaration of independence and the belief system of our founding fathers on the basis of their ideals of freedom and equality. In his autobiography and speech, Douglass gives his viewpoints of America during his life and reflects on the ideals of the nation at a time were freedom and equal rights were presented to be shared by all under the newly written constitution.
Frederick Douglass was a radical abolitionist born into slavery in 1818, starting with almost nothing, he worked his way up in life, trading his bread for the opportunity to learn to read and write. With time Douglass escaped slavery and from then on found his purpose of freeing his fellow men as well as other minorities in American society, “He became one of the most famous intellectuals of his time, advising presidents and lecturing to thousands on a range of causes, including women’s rights and Irish home rule” (Frederick Douglass Journalist, Civil Rights Activist, Author, Government Official(c. 1818–1895), 2017). Douglass through his dedication to learning to read and right developed a strong passion for fighting to promote human rights and equality. Through his lectures and published works, Douglass spread acceptance and taught that the American nation must treat all of its members with respect, “‘Right is of no Sex – Truth is of no Color – God is the Father of us all, and we are all brethren’" (Frederick Douglass Journalist, Civil Rights Activist,
Frederick Douglass was a man of immense courage, whose clear-cut auto biography convinced white Americans of the horrors of slavery, and gave them the ambition to abolish it. Slavery in the states had become a necessary evil to the whites, in which free labor meant growth and development of their home. Frederick Douglass’ expressions of his abhorrence for slavery are apparent in his detailed descriptions of the cruel treatment of masters to all slaves, and their forced illiteracy. The various acts of punishment towards slaves was a common gesture to all with the intentions of teaching the blacks their place in a white man’s world, and Douglass experienced this both by first and second hand experience.
In order to understand Frederick Douglass’ influence in Washington D.C., it must first be recognized that Frederick Douglass contribution the black community and his desire for racial uplift had been his political agenda for a very long time prior to his migration to Washington D.C. in the later half of his life. Douglass describes his introduction to abolitionism during the summer of 1841.1 Douglass had attended an anti-slavery convention in Nantucket, Massachusetts. He was then asked to say a few words to the crowd by William C. Coffin. Coffin was a prominent abolitionist who had once heard Douglass speaking to his black friends at Douglass’ church prior to this convention. Douglass found giving the speech to be difficult, but this would soon lead to his reputation as a well known orator.
in countless ways, Fredrick douglass played a vital role in the struggle to win freedom for all
I, Frederick Douglass, a former slave and eminent human rights leader in the abolition movement, was the first black citizen to hold a high U.S. government rank. I was born into slavery in Talbot County, Maryland. I ended becoming a famous intellectual and got involved in a large range of causes lecturing thousands about women’s rights, and the abolition movement to name a few. I wasn’t born Frederick Douglass, rather my birth name was Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey. I was one of the first African-American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman, but more than that I wanted to help shape the United States as to where race and color did not matter, where everyone can live together without arguments over issues like these.
Douglass managed to overcome the maltreatment of his wretched slave owners through the eventual attainment of freedom. The injustice imposed upon the African-American slaves by their owners was the crux of Douglass’s motivation to escape this inhumane life. Adolescents in today’s society could use Frederick’s determination as an example of moving forward to better oneself or one’s situation regardless of
In “The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass”, Douglass narrates in detail the oppressions he went through as a slave before winning his freedom. In the narrative, Douglass gives a picture about the humiliation, brutality, and pain that slaves go through. We can evidently see that Douglass does not want to describe only his life, but he uses his personal experiences and life story as a tool to rise against slavery. He uses his personal life story to argue against common myths that were used to justify the act of slavery. Douglass invalidated common justification for slavery like religion, economic argument and color with his life story through his experiences torture, separation, and illiteracy, and he urged for the end of slavery.
His beatings and lack of food were only part of his miserable daily life. Eventually Douglass was able to successfully escape this life and vowed to forever actively support the equality of all
Fredrick Douglass was born enslaved,but he escaped to freedom. He became an outspoken opponent of slavery and a civil rights advocate. He lectured widely and even published his own newspapers. In this excerpt, I have learned the most important event that occurred in his life and why its important, the reason why he compared the enslavers to criminals, and the reason why he wished to be an animal. First of all, Fredrick mentioned in the excerpt the most important event in his life and why it matters.
Fredrick Douglass is one of the most famous abolitionists the United States has ever seen. The events that led up to his freedom of slavery were very interesting. In his Narrative you not only get to see the worst of slavery, but you can also feel firsthand what Douglass went through to get his freedom. As we all know slavery was something you could not just walk out of. Some slaves that try to escape even end up getting punished or killed.