Frederick Douglass once Said

Frederick Douglass once said,It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. (from azquotes.com). This quote resembles Frederick Douglass in many ways. One, being that he is a black male, who wasn’t treated equally. This quote talks strictly about raising your children to be open minded and kind to everyone. It’s much easier to just teach this from as soon as they can talk rather than try and change and older man from being totally racist and rude.

Douglass’s quote is still relevant today, and needs to be something everyone should learn to live by.

Frederick Douglass was an abolition spokesperson for slavery and fought for racial equality. Frederick Douglass through his childhood, adolescence, adulthood, education and literary contribution helped to change the American landscape.
Frederick Douglass’s early life took place in Cordova, Maryland. He was born on a Maryland slave plantation. His mother; Harriet Bailey, was a slave at the time of Fredericks birth and was a very important person in his life, especially since he never knew his father. Sadly, his mother died when he was a young boy, and Frederick had to learn how to handle life without any parents.

When he was born, his mother originally named him Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, but he later changed it to Frederick Douglass. To try and keep himself safe and away from slavery. He then lived with his grandmother, Betty Bailey. His grandmother was a very hard working woman who always put her children before herself. Frederick Douglass had four sisters, Kitty, Eliza, Arianna and Sarah Bailey. He also had a brother, Perry Douglass.

Growing up in slavery Frederick Douglass was determined to learn how to read and write by educating himself. A famous quote Douglass was known for was Once you learn to read, you will be forever free. This quote meant so much to Frederick Douglass because once he taught himself how to read, he was able to educate himself on what was actually happening around him. He didn’t have to wonder if he was being told false information, or being lied to.

It was against his slave owners will for any of the slaves to get an education. In 1836 Frederick attempted an escape to the free world, but was ratted out by a fellow slave. He planned to escape once again on September 3, 1838. I felt assured that if I failed in this attempt, my case would be a hopeless one, it would seal my fate as a slave forever. (from History.com) He disguised himself as a black sailor when boarding the train to freedom. He borrowed free papers from a free african american seaman, who Douglass did not resemble very well. When the papers were reviewed by the railroad official, he knew they would find what he was trying to do.

He quickly made a plan to jump on the train last minute so when the officer tried to get him the train along with Douglass would be long gone, on his way to the big city of New York.
He finally adapted to his new life in New York City and during 1841, he gave a speech at the meeting of Bristol Anti-Slavery Society, lecturing against slavery. He then became a leader in the abolitionist movement, and did many things to help try to end slavery. After he became a free man, he soon married Anna Murray who was another great inspiration. Anna was a member of the underground railroad and helped multiple slaves become free. Frederick had five kids; Rosetta, Lewis Henry, Charles Remond, Frederick Douglass Jr, and Annie Douglass. Later on, he set up a school to teach uneducated slaves to read and write. Frederick Douglass was a selfless man and took responsibility for his own fate.

In 1838, Frederick Douglass went to Massachusetts to meet a abolitionist editor William Lloyd Garrison who taught him more about anti-slavery societies. Frederick later published a autobiography; The Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. This biography was his first book and talked about his experiences as a slave and the journey of escaping to New York. It showed a lot of people how awful slavery really was. The book not only demonstrated the harm slavery was doing to the african americans, but how it was damaging the whites as well. It made many people realize how inhumane American people were being.

Frederick Douglass was a very interesting person as I learned about his fascinating impact on the people he taught. His childhood, adolescence, adulthood, education and literary contribution helped to change the American landscape. Something interesting that caught my attention about Frederick Douglass was that he was a very brave man who chased his dreams. He fought for his freedom and never settled for anything less.

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