Frederick Douglass: Abolitionist, Orator, and Civil Rights Champion

Frederick Douglass: From Slavery to Abolitionism

Frederick Douglass, one of the leading personalities in civil rights history, escaped a life of slavery and went on to become a prominent social justice advocate. He stands alongside figures such as President Lincoln, Harriet Tubman, Susan B. Anthony, and William Lloyd Garrison. The historic 13th Amendment was in large part the fruit of Douglass's and others' efforts toward civil rights; yet Douglass knew well that African Americans had a long way to go in gaining complete freedom.

In 1832, Douglass was sent away from the city to Thomas Auld's plantation. Thomas Auld — brother of Hugh Auld — sent the young Frederick to Edward Covey, the infamous "slave-driver and negro-breaker" known for crushing the resistance of any enslaved person. Here, Douglass was beaten severely. On one occasion, the sixteen-year-old Douglass retaliated, physically besting Covey; after that confrontation, he was never whipped again.

In 1841, Douglass became acquainted with William Lloyd Garrison — a highly outspoken abolitionist and founder of the abolitionist newspaper The Liberator — at an anti-slavery meeting. Garrison urged Douglass to tell his story publicly, spurring his public career. Douglass began lecturing at abolitionist gatherings, quickly earning a reputation as a fluent and persuasive speaker (Biographies, n.d.).

Civil War Advocacy and Constitutional Reform

In the turbulent 1850s, Douglass strived hard for emancipation. He broke away from Garrison, who publicly burned copies of the Constitution, criticizing it as a blatantly pro-slavery text. Douglass went on to found the North Star, a newspaper of his own. By the time the Civil War began, Douglass had become the most renowned Black individual in America.

During the war, he persistently petitioned President Abraham Lincoln to aim explicitly at emancipation and to sanction the formation of colored regiments in the Army. Two of Douglass's sons served in the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, the first regiment composed of African Americans. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution ultimately vindicated his efforts. Afterward, Douglass served in numerous government positions, continuing to strive throughout the Reconstruction period and beyond to secure civil rights for freed African Americans. He famously stated that abolishing slavery was not the end — it was only the beginning (Biographies, n.d.).