Frederick Douglass Legacy Essay

Connor Cothran Cothran 1

ENGL 1102

Dr. Thompson

Research Paper

Frederick Douglass: A Legacy Which Continues to Inspire

Augustus Washington Bailey (also known as “Frederick Douglass”) was born in 1818 along the eastern shoreline of Maryland. As of now, he remains an iconic figure in American history as an abolitionist, public speaker, noteworthy writer, and devoted civil and women’s rights activist. Overcoming tremendous challenges, he was crucial in developing an outline for the abolitionist movement and advocating for the rights of African Americans.

Being born into slavery, Douglass viewed the horrors of slavery early on. At a young age his mother died, this left him to be raised by his grandmother

These speeches were a key factor in his success in spreading awareness about the hardships of slavery.

In 1845, Douglass wrote and published his first autobiography, “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave,” which revealed his horrific past along with his escape to a new life. This script was a powerful tool, spreading worldwide awareness about slavery, and helped him further progress his fight against slavery. The detailed stories revealed in the book caused readers to second guess Douglass, assuming a former slave could not write with such elegance. Douglass used this as motivation to continue improving his writing skills and work towards abolition.

In 1847, he was also responsible for establishing “The North Star,” a newspaper which helped abolitionists spread their ideas and messages. With this information, abolitionists could use other educated black writers to create a way of education and improvement within their society. In his later life, he released another book “Life and Times of Frederick Douglass”(1881). He later revised both of his books by releasing “My Bondage and My Freedom”(1855) and a revised “Life and Times of Frederick

He noticed a similar struggle in women’s rights to those of African Americans. He worked closely with many well-known feminists, such as Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Lucy Stone. During the Seneca Falls convention (first women’s rights convention) in 1848, Frederick Douglass was the only African American to attend. He used his public speaking and writing skills to speak out against the assembly, after Stanton’s idea got shot down.

Throughout the civil war, Douglass remained one of the most famous African Americans in the United States. He used this fame to aid the transition of African American men in the military. During this time, he would meet with President Abraham Lincoln, where the two would work to create equal treatment for African Americans in the military. January 1, 1863 President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation would legally free all slaves. After the civil war, Douglass held many positions, such as president of Freedman’s Savings Bank and chargé d'affaires in the Dominican Republic.

Douglass's influence as a thinker and writer was remarkable, as he could take his struggles and experiences as