Frederick Douglass (1818–1895)
Author of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave
About the Author
Born a slave in Maryland in about 1817, Frederick Douglass never became accommodated to being held in bondage. He secretly learned to read, although slaves were prohibited from doing so. He fought back against a cruel slave-breaker and finally escaped to New Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1838 at about show more the age of 21. Despite the danger of being sent back to his owner if discovered, Douglass became an agent and eloquent orator for the Massachusetts Antislavery Society. He lectured extensively in both England and the United States. As an ex-slave, his words had tremendous impact on his listeners. In 1845 Douglass wrote his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, which increased his fame. Concerned that he might be sent back to slavery, he went to Europe. He spent two years in England and Ireland speaking to antislavery groups. Douglass returned to the United States a free man and settled in Rochester, New York, where he founded a weekly newspaper, The North Star, in 1847. In the newspaper he wrote articles supporting the antislavery cause and the cause of human rights. He once wrote, "The lesson which [the American people] must learn, or neglect to do so at their own peril, is that Equal Manhood means Equal Rights, and further, that the American people must stand for each and all for each without respect to color or race." During the Civil War, Douglass worked for the Underground Railroad, the secret route of escape for slaves. He also helped recruit African-Americans soldiers for the Union army. After the war, he continued to write and to speak out against injustice. In addition to advocating education for freed slaves, he served in several government posts, including United States representative to Haiti. In 1855, a longer version of his autobiography appeared, and in 1895, the year of Douglass's death, a completed version was published. A best-seller in its own time, it has since become available in numerous editions and languages. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: Photo circa 1865-1880
(Brady-Handy Photograph Collection,
Loc Prints and Photographs Division,
LC-DIG-cwpbh-05089)
(Brady-Handy Photograph Collection,
Loc Prints and Photographs Division,
LC-DIG-cwpbh-05089)
Works by Frederick Douglass
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass an American Slave (Bedford Books in American History) (1993) 961 copies
Frederick Douglass : Autobiographies : Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave / My Bondage and… (1994) 580 copies
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave & Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (Modern Library… (1845) 290 copies
Frederick Douglass on Slavery and the Civil War: Selections from His Writings (Dover Thrift Editions) (2003) 78 copies
Up from Slavery / The Souls of Black Folk / Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (2007) — Contributor — 57 copies
Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass : authoritative text, contexts, criticism (1997) 50 copies
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (Second Edition) (Norton Critical Editions) (1656) 43 copies
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written by Himself (Annotated): Bicentennial Edition… (2017) 20 copies
Abolition Fanaticism in New York Speech of a Runaway Slave from Baltimore, at an Abolition Meeting in New York, Held… (1847) 9 copies
Slavery: Not Forgiven, Never Forgotten – The Most Powerful Slave Narratives, Historical Documents & Influential… (2017) 7 copies
The Collected Works: A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave The Heroic Slave My Bondage and… (2013) 7 copies
UNCHAINED - Powerful & Unflinching Narratives Of Former Slaves: 28 True Life Stories in One Volume: Including Hundreds… (2017) 6 copies
The Frederick Douglass Papers : Series Two: Autobiographical Writings; Volume 1 Narrative (The Frederick Douglass… (1999) 6 copies
Life and Writings of Frederick Douglass Supplementar (Life & Writings of Frederick Douglass) VOL. 5 (2020) 6 copies
Narrative of the Life of FREDERICK DOUGLASS (Annotated): An American Slave. Written by Himself. (A Narrative of… (2021) 6 copies
John Brown, an Address by Frederick Douglass at the fourteenth anniversary of Storer College (2010) 6 copies
THE MOST COMPLETE COLLECTION OF WRITTEN WORKS & SPEECHES BY FREDERICK DOUGLASS [Newly Illustrated] (2011) 6 copies
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass and The Fourth of July Speech: Illustrated Black History Collection (2020) 5 copies
Delphi Complete Works of Frederick Douglass (Illustrated) (Delphi Series Ten Book 21) (2019) 4 copies
En amerikansk slaves beretning samt Tale holdt ved afsløringen af Emancipation Monument rejst til ære for… (2011) 4 copies
Lighter moments 4 copies
The Complete Works of Frederick Douglass: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, My Bondage and My Freedom, Life… (2018) 3 copies
Avenida Brasil : curso básico de Português para estrangeiros [1] Glossar Portugiesisch - Deutsch (1992) 3 copies
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass an American slave : with Irish letters and speeches and his lecture on… (2011) 3 copies
The Mind and Heart of Frederick Douglass: Escerpts from Speeches of the Great Negro Orator (1968) 3 copies
Oration, Delivered in Corinthian Hall, Rochester — Author — 3 copies
Relato da vida de Frederick Douglass - Um escravo americano (Em Portugues do Brasil) (2019) 2 copies
Life and Times of Frederick Douglass (Annotated): This Edition Includes John Brown Address at Harper's Ferry (2019) 2 copies
One of the Noblest, Wisest, and Best Men: Frederick Douglass on Abraham Lincoln, 1880, a Manuscript from the Gilder… (2008) 2 copies
African American Heritage Anthology #1 : Up From Slavery; The Negro Problem; Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl;… (2017) 2 copies
Narración de la vida de Frederick Douglass, un esclavo americano (Escrita por él mismo) (Spanish Edition) (2021) 1 copy
FREDERICK DOUGLASS Ultimate Collection: Autobiographies, 50 Speeches, Articles & Letters: The Future of the Colored… (2018) 1 copy
مذكرات عبد أمريكي 1 copy
Life and Writings of Frederick Douglass Supplementar (Life & Writings of Frederick Douglass) VOL. 5 by P. S. Foner… (1674) 1 copy
Frederick Douglass Complete Autobiographies: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass | My Bondage and My Freedom |… (2022) 1 copy
Eleven Minutes 1 copy
Breeding for Profit: American Slave Breeding (True Stories of American Slave Breeding by those that Witnessed) (2015) 1 copy
Fredrick Douglass 1 copy
Pioneers of black liberation : writings from the early African-American champions of civil rights and racial equality (2013) 1 copy
ENFIN LIBRE 1 copy
The Most Complete Collection of the Writings and Speeches of Frederick Douglass [Illustrated] 1 copy
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave Narrative: (Large Print) (RGV Classic) (2018) 1 copy
The Rights of Women 1 copy
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass 2e & How the Other Half Lives & 9/11 Commision Report & Movements of the… (2007) 1 copy
The Frederick Douglass Papers: Volume 4, Series One: Speeches, Debates, and Interviews, 1864-80 (The Frederick Douglass… (1991) 1 copy
l'indipendenza e la shiavitù 1 copy
My Escape from Slavery and Other Works by Frederick Douglass (Unexpurgated Edition) (Halcyon Classics) (2009) 1 copy
The claims of the Negro, ethnologically considered : an address before the literary societies of Western Reserve… (1854) 1 copy
Civil War 1 copy
Från träldom till frihet : Negerslafven Fredrik Douglass lefnadsöden skildrade af honom själf 1 copy
Narrazione della vita di Frederick Douglass, uno schiavo americano, scritta da lui stesso. Testo inglese a fronte (2015) 1 copy
A Narrativa da Vida de Frederick Douglass, um Escravo Americano: Escrita por ele mesmo (Portuguese Edition) (2016) 1 copy
Frederick Douglas - Ultimate Collection: Complete Autobiographies, Speeches & Letters: My Escape from Slavery,… (2018) 1 copy
M©♭moires d'un esclave 1 copy
A Life in Chains: The Juneteenth Edition: Novels, Memoirs, Interviews, Testimonies, Studies, Official Records on… (2020) 1 copy
The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave (Barnes & Noble Classics Series): An American Slave[… (2005) 1 copy
Associated Works
The Heath Anthology of American Literature, Volume 1 (1990) — Contributor, some editions — 255 copies
The Graphic Canon, Vol. 2: From "Kubla Khan" to the Bronte Sisters to The Picture of Dorian Gray (2012) — Contributor — 183 copies
The Lincoln Anthology: Great Writers on His Life and Legacy from 1860 to Now (2008) — Contributor — 153 copies
American Antislavery Writings: Colonial Beginnings to Emancipation (2012) — Contributor — 122 copies
Reconstruction: Voices from America's First Great Struggle for Racial Equality (LOA #303) (The Library of America) (2018) — Contributor — 108 copies
Growing Up in Slavery: Stories of Young Slaves as Told By Themselves (2005) — Contributor — 93 copies
The Glorious American Essay: One Hundred Essays from Colonial Times to the Present (2020) — Contributor — 81 copies
Black Ink: Literary Legends on the Peril, Power and Pleasure of Reading and Writing (2018) — Contributor — 73 copies
Twelve Years a Slave / Life of Frederick Douglass / Uncle Tom's Cabin / Life of Josiah Henson / Incidents in the Life… (2014) — Contributor — 58 copies
I Was Born a Slave: An Anthology of Classic Slave Narratives: Volume One, 1770-1849 (1999) — Contributor — 43 copies
Before Harlem: An Anthology of African American Literature from the Long Nineteenth Century (2016) — Contributor — 9 copies
Slave Narrative (Six Pack 3) - Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, 22 Years a Slave, Escaping in a Chest, Up from… (2015) — Contributor — 3 copies
African American Literature: A Concise Anthology from Frederick Douglass to Toni Morrison (2009) — Contributor — 1 copy
90 Masterpieces You Must Read (Vol.1): Novels, Poetry, Plays, Short Stories, Essays, Psychology & Philosophy (2020) — Contributor — 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Douglass, Frederick
- Legal name
- Bailey, Frederick Augustus Washington (born)
- Birthdate
- 1818-02-14
- Date of death
- 1895-02-20
- Burial location
- Mount Hope Cemetery, Rochester, New York, USA
- Gender
- male
- Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Tuckahoe, Maryland, USA
- Place of death
- Washington, D.C., USA
- Places of residence
- Talbot County, Maryland, USA
Baltimore, Maryland, USA
New Bedford, Massachusetts, USA
Washington, D.C., USA
Tuckahoe, Maryland, USA - Education
- self-educated
- Occupations
- field hand
house servant
politician
laborer
autobiographer
consul (show all 7)
newspaper publisher - Relationships
- Dunbar, Paul Laurence (friend)
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Statistics
- Works
- 179
- Also by
- 37
- Members
- 15,252
- Popularity
- #1,496
- Rating
- 4.1
- Reviews
- 174
- ISBNs
- 839
- Languages
- 14
- Favorited
- 22
Hollywood has many times depicted the life of the American slave, but they are all a step removed from reading of the actual experience in the words of an actual witness and victim of the crime. Douglass does not overly dwell on the horrors as much as he challenges the morality of such acts and counts his blessings for having escaped them. I find it remarkable that he clearly stated the identities of his former masters, when the law still allowed for escaped slaves to be reclaimed. His account accuses them of everything up to and including murder. Many memoirs written today feature altered names and anonymity for less reason than that (and he does extend this courtesy to those whom he needs to protect). Public opinion being the only thing he could turn to for justice, its achievement must have been his aim. I doubt whether he saw full justice done - he has written two more biographies and I look forward to the rest of his story - but in any case those recorded names are now justly maligned for as long as his memoir continues to be read.
It's a work that fully deserves five stars in light of what it records, when it was recorded, and what it represents.… (more)