Frederick Douglass Impact On Education

Frederick Douglas himself wrote the “Narrative of Frederick Douglas” and it is an 1845 memoir of his whole entire life. Frederick Douglas was not only one of the most important African-American men in United States history but one of the most important men period in United States period. He was a abolitionist, writer, statesmen, and social reformer. One thing that was extremely important to Frederick Douglas was his education. His education and how intelligent he is has a lot to do on why he was such an inspirational figure to many slaves in this dire time period. Education and the ability to read were extremely impactful on the issue for the slave’s freedom, as the slaves began to become smarter it began to change the way society viewed blacks. Frederick Douglass emphasized the importance of literacy in his book greatly. Douglass, deems that him learning to read and write was more than likely the most

White society viewed black education as something that should be nonexistent. Because, why should someone or even another black person take time out of their day to teach literacy and amongst other things to a society that are not actual people but just their to get the work done and please their masters. Slaves were severely punished if their owners found them trying to learn how to read. The punishments could range from being whipped, double workload, no food nor water for a day, or death. The slaves had to secretly teach themselves and they began to realize the consequences of these actions why some began to turn away from it and the consequences also drove and inspired people to go through with it. Black education in the eyes of people back then was supposedly nonexistent and was supposed to stay that way but as we know the few that strayed from this idea became extremely influential people in the emancipation