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