Frederick Douglass: Mixed Experience History Month

Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) was the son of Harriet Baily, a black slave, and a white man rumored to be the plantation master.  In 1838, Douglass escaped from slavery settling in Massachusetts.  A powerful orator and gifted writer, he became a leader of the abolitionist movement.  He published Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave Written By Himself in 1845.  The book, which he published several versions of, was hugely successful.  Douglass worked as a tireless advocate for the rights of both African-Americans and women his entire life.  He died in 1895 of a heart attack.