Frederick Douglass, born as Frederick Augustus Washington Baily, was an abolitionist leader, and a free black man. He became famous for his writings about his life, mostly about when he was a slave. He is also known for lecturing many people on women’s right, Irish home rule, and many other causes. In his time, he was one of the most popular intellectual, which means he was very intelligent. Frederick was born in the year 1818, the date isn’t official known but in his later years he decided to celebrate on February 14th. He was born into slavery in Talbot Country, Maryland and started off living with his grandmother. His mother wasn’t with him regularly, and died when he was 10. His father is thought to be his mother’s white master, but isn’t known for certain. When Frederick was around 12, Sophia, the wife to a slaveholder, taught him the alphabet. After she was banned from teaching him anymore he learned from white …show more content…
Being one of the last stops until freedom in Canada, Douglass also was a “conductor” of the underground railroad and worked closely with Gerrit Smith and John Brown on anti-slavery movements. He continued his writing by publishing a second book named My Bondage and My Freedom and ran his own newspaper, the North Star. His new autobiography goes through his experience in slavery but also adds points of his lectures around the world. On July 4th, 1852, Douglass was invited to speak and he spoke the truth about what this day was like to slaves. Many white Americans celebrate this day, but for slaves this day was worse than normal days at work. “Your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless” (Dilbeck: page 2). Even though Frederick didn’t get to talk to every white man on this day, he got his point out to