There are many from his era that have made the history books, several of those who have deserved to be there and several who perhaps rode in on the coattails of others. However, Frederick Douglass was in a stand alone category of his own.

Frederick Douglass was born in 1818 under the name of Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey. Douglass was born a slave near Hillsboro, Maryland. While he was a baby, he was separated from his mother. She later died while he was still a young child.

It is believed that Frederick’s father was a white slave owner, perhaps even Aaron Anthony who was his so-called owner during that time. However, the identity of Frederick’s father was never later revealed with absolute certainty. When Anthony died, Frederick was given to the wife of Thomas Auld and she sent him to Baltimore. Once he arrived, Frederick began service to the brother of Thomas Auld. There, he became the slave of Hugh Auld.

Sophia Auld, Hugh’s wife was the first person to help Frederick learn to read and her husband strongly disapproved when he found it out. The very kind act of Sophia Auld instilled in Frederick a strong desire to learn and he did. He picked up everything that he could and gained more opportunities to read from the white children who lived nearby.

The more Douglass learned, the more he recognized that slavery was wrong and it was an institution built on the disabling of human rights. He later stated that The Columbia Orator helped him discover his own viewpoints regarding slavery and freedom.

Later, Douglass was loaned out to a man by the name of Mr. Freeman. He allowed Frederick to teach other slaves how to read and they gathered for a Sabbath School. When other slave owners discovered it, they immediately stormed into the meeting and broke it up with clubbing and stones.

Frederick Douglass was sent to Edward Covey soon after. Covey had the brutal reputation of breaking slaves. When he had just about succeeded in breaking Frederick’s will, Douglass fought back and Covey never tried to raise an iron hand to him again.

In 1838, Douglass was able to escape the wrath of slavery. He later met and married Anna Murray who was a freed African-American woman. He then began his pursuits to abolish slavery and became focused on preserving the human rights of all.

Frederick Douglass was instrumental in laying the groundwork for abolishing slavery. He joined various committees and organizations. He read The Liberator to stay abreast of anti-slavery movements. Douglass also participated in the Seneca Falls Convention and was a signor on the Declaration of Sentiments which was a document in support of women’s rights.

In his later years, Douglass became an ordained minister and he was also appointed a United States Marshal. Frederick Douglas died in 1895 after attending a meeting of the National Council of Women in Washington D.C. It is believed that he suffered either a massive heart attack or a stroke.