Frederick Douglass's Birthdate

A new nation was born, filled with aspirations and dreams to become a force of liberty in the world, as she knew she was destined to be; yet, she had a major blight within her conscience and the very fabric of her society. This nation was the United States of America—a nation founded upon the inhumane act of slavery. However, there was a man, a great man who rose above every obstacle and became the voice of freedom, liberty and emancipation. This man was Frederick Douglass. And as Gabriel Burns Stepto states, “Frederick Douglass was very likely the greatest African American intellectual leader of the nineteenth century and is one of the pivotal personalities of American history” (Slepto 149). The reason for Douglass’ fame, respect and achievements

First of all, Frederick Douglass was born in Maryland; yet his exact birthdate is unknown. However, many believe he was born sometime in February 1818 (Galens, Smith, and Thomason 236). The reason for the obscurity of his birthdate is because he was born as the son of a slave woman named Harriet Bailey and an unknown white man, perhaps his mother’s master (Baker, et al. 53). During his childhood, Douglass was separated from his mother because she was sent to a nearby plantation to work (American Eras 280); and eventually, she died when Douglass was only seven years old (Galens, Smith, and Thomason 236). Later, Douglass ended up slaving under a new master named Hugh Auld and Douglass’ main responsibility was to care for the this family’s child (Baker, et al. 53). Throughout Douglass’ childhood, he experienced the full brutality of slavery and the

Douglass set up a print shop in his own home and began to write about the injustices he and his fellow Americans had faced (Baker, et al 55). Having already produced an autobiography titled, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, which became a best seller, he went on to write an abolitionist newspaper called the North Star in 1847. The paper’s motto was “Right is of no sex. Truth is of no color. God is the Father of us all, and we are all Brethren” (Baker, et al 55). Then, in 1852, Douglass began the publication of the Frederick Douglass’ Paper; and by 1855, he wrote his second autobiography called My Bondage and My Freedom (McKivigan). Then from 1859 to 1863 Douglass supplemented the Frederick Douglass’ Paper with the Douglass’ Monthly. His final publication, after the Civil War, was from 1870 to 1874 called the New National Era (McKivigan). Shortly after that, in 1881 he wrote his final autobiography called Life and Times of Frederick Douglass (McKivigan). The tenacious influence of Douglass’ writings about freedom, liberty and injustice fed a movement of people pressuring the United States government to do something about inequality. Furthermore, Douglass’ writings influence people beyond slavery. For example, women’s rights and worker rights were all enhanced through the publications of Frederick Douglass (Baker, et al 56). Lastly, as Gabriel Burns