How Did Frederick Douglass Contribute To The Civil Rights Movement

Many icons have come from the Civil Rights Movement such as Abraham Lincoln, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr, and Rosa Parks to name a few but none as big as Frederick Douglas. Frederick was born in February 1818 in Maryland, a breeding ground for racists and lynching of African Amercians. Frederick was a slave who learned to read and write from a young age, a rare sight for many, this is due to Blacks lack of education and literacy skills at the time. Frederick Douglas was freed on September 3, 1838 by disguising himself as a sailor and fleeing to New York. New York was an abolitionist state at the time making it easier for Douglas’s great voice to reach those ignoring the state of slavery. Fredrick Douglas owned a newspaper called “The

Many know about his relationship with President Abraham Lincoln, the abolition heavy President. Frederick helped convince President Lincoln that African Americans should fight in the Civil War, this was to show blacks also wanted to help their fellow Americans in the war for their freedom. This move of Presidential backing helped many African Americans from his era realize there was hope to be African American in the United States. Douglas’s actions showed blacks aren’t horrible and animals as most saw them, but were patriots and wanted to prosper just as much as everyone else did. This positive outlook for blacks helped many realize slavery was not the right way to run the country, this helped many more Americans become abolitionists and fighters for civil rights. Douglass was named the father of the civil rights movement due to his courageous acts of speaking on behalf of blacks. His peaceful yet stern push for equality showed his brilliance on this serious topic of

Douglass’s arguments on African Americans not being used as objects to glorify another race's importance is an ideology many minorities follow today. His thoughts of everyone's equality matters is a practice most in the 21st century culture abide by, showing despite him being from the 1800’s even then he understood the power of individuality. Douglass showed many that black pride did not have to be in one's words or public opinions but could be shown in one's actions and achievements. He set the bar for what being an advocate for your people is, and that was to fight for your culture and your race's prosperity no matter the struggles and tribulations presented. Douglas also advocated for self pride and self love, his quote “Our destiny is largely in our hands” depicts his idea of self improvement and self achievement is the strongest weapon one can have. These outlooks on life as he saw it helped him show other African Americans life was only bad if you made it bad, his motivational speeches towards minorities gave many hope for a new life as a free man. Despite his legacy being nearly forgotten, Frederick’s goals stayed alive through other blacks of the time showing how much African Americans truly cherished his fight for their