How did Frederick Douglass die? Bio, Quotes, Book, Narrative, Education, Children

Browse to know more about Frederick Douglass’s Age, Bio, wiki, Net Worth, Income, career, Education, and Family. Also know details about Frederick Douglass’s  Parents, Childhood, Relationship, body measurements, Images, and many more.

Frederick Douglass is a famous American orator, social reformer, writer, and statesman. He had escaped slavery in Maryland and became a national leader of the abolitionist movement in Massachusetts and NY.

His oration and speeches pulled a lot of crowds. His anti-slavery writings were also applauded. He was a staunch believer and follower of equality for all people irrespective of race, country, or gender. He also favored dialogues for the betterment of relations. It is a wonderful journey from slavery to speaker against it which we will be highlighting in this biography of Frederick Douglass.

The early days as a slave

Frederick was born on 14 February 1818 in Cordova, Talbot County, Maryland. Talking about his date of birth in his autobiography, Frederick had written:

“I have no accurate knowledge of my age, never having seen any authentic record containing it.”

He used to celebrate his birthday on 14 February every year. His mother Harriet Bailey has mixed ethnicity-Native American, African, and European. He was separated from his mother and stayed with his maternal grandmother. His mother died when he was 10. At age 6, he was shifted to the Wye House plantation to serve as a slave.

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His master’s wife started teaching him the alphabets. But the master Hugh Auld disapproved of it since he feared that slaves may learn and demand freedom. Later, Frederick learned from the white children of his neighborhood and from the writings of the men with whom he worked. He continued to secretly teach himself and learned to read and write. He soon got exposed to the world through varied forms of readings and his young mind started questioning on slavery.

He spread this knowledge he had acquired to the other slaves and taught them to read the New Testament. Soon the number of slaves attending his classes rose. On learning about this spread of knowledge and education, he was sent to a slave breaker who would whip Frederick, 16 and try to break him physically and psychologically. But Frederick fought back and won.

His freedom

Frederick tried to escape twice but failed. On 3 September 1838, he escaped successfully posing as a seaman and boarded a train to the great Northern cities. He was helped in it by Anna Murray who was a free African woman 5 years elder to him.

Preacher and abolitionist

He married Anna in 1838 and they settled in New Bedford, Massachusetts. He became a licensed preacher in 1839. He also became an anti-slavery lecturer. Frederick, 23 also gave speeches at various anti-slavery conventions. He was even subjected to attacks by angry mobs but he continued.

His travels, writings, speeches, and autobiographies

He wrote several autobiographies. He also wrote articles and made speeches against slavery. He also toured to Great Britain and Ireland. He was surprised by the contrast he saw in there compared to the racist environment of the US. He befriended some great personalities there who inspired him and continued to assist and work with him.

The return

He returned to the US in 1847 after two years. He started his first abolitionist paper called North Star. He also worked for women’s rights. He realized the use of the camera in this drive and movement against slavery and learned photography since cameras never lie. He also refined his ideology over the next few years. He fought for the civil rights of individuals. He continued to work tirelessly for the emancipation of the slaves and women.

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The last years and death

He spent the last years in Washington DC and on 20 February 1895 after attending a meeting and reaching home, he died of a massive heart attack. He was 77.

His personal life

He had married Anna Murray who had helped him get his freedom. The couple had five children-Rosetta, Lewis, Frederick Jr, Charles, and Annie. He had professional colleagues who were females and were Julia Griffiths and Ottilie Assing.

There were scandals made out of their relations. Anna died in 1882 and Frederick remarried Helen Pitts. She was a white and 20 years younger to Frederick and this had raised a storm at that time.

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