10 Interesting Frederick Douglass Facts

Saturday, February 1st 2014. | People


Frederick Douglass facts present the fascinating facts about the former slave who turned into an abolitionist.  This man was famous with his Black history month. This celebration is held all over the world in February. It was the month when Douglass was born. Find out more about him below:

Frederick Douglass Facts 1: date of birth

Frederick Douglass was born in February 1818 in Easton. As a child, he did not have a good family life. When he was 6 years old, his mother abandoned him.

Frederick Douglass Facts 2:  biracial man

Douglass is not purely African. He was a biracial man. His father was a white man. He did not know his father. His mother was an African slave.

Frederick Douglass Book

Frederick Douglass Book

Frederick Douglass Facts 3: Sophia Auld

Douglass served as the houseboy in Sophia Auld’s house. This woman taught him how to read. However, when his husband found this activity, he wanted her to stop teaching Douglass.

Frederick Douglass Facts 4: reading alphabet

Douglass was eager to read. He wanted to study even though it was illegal for a slave to read. So he gave food for some boys in his neighborhood located in Baltimore, just to teach him to read alphabets.

Frederick Douglass Facts

Frederick Douglass Facts

Frederick Douglass Facts 5: Edward Covey

It seems that Edward Covey was one of the Douglass’ nightmares. When he was in his teen age, he had to work in a farm. It was arranged by Edward Covey who was considered as a brutal white man. Douglass tried to run away from this farm since he was regularly whipped.

Frederick Douglass Facts 6: a sailor

Two years later, Douglass could work in a Baltimore shipyard. He pretended to be a sailor and could escape from slavery. He used steamboat and train to arrive in New York City.

Frederick Douglass Image

Frederick Douglass Image

Frederick Douglass Facts 7: Anna Murray

Douglass got hitched with Anna Murray in 1838. Both lived in Massachusetts.

Frederick Douglass Facts 8: lecturing

His freedom made him realized to help other slaves. So he was very active as an abolitionist. He often presented lecturing in Massachusetts Anti Slavery Society.

Frederick Douglass Pic

Frederick Douglass Pic

Frederick Douglass Facts 9: book

If you want to know the life of Frederick Douglass a slave, you need to read his book written in 1845. The title is “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written By Himself.”

Frederick Douglass Facts 10: newspaper

After receiving his freedom, Douglass was very successful. He had his own weekly newspaper in 1848. It was called The North Star.

Frederick Douglass Young

Frederick Douglass Young

During the presidency of Abraham Lincoln, he became his advisor. He was the one who enlisted the black men in Union army. Are you inspired with facts about Frederick Douglass?


tags: ,