Essay - Frederick Douglass (1817-1895) Is Most Often Remembered as Being the...

Frederick Douglass (1817-1895) is most often remembered as being the "most prominent African American orator, journal*****t and antislavery leaders of the 19th century." (Encarta) ***** w***** himself an escaped slave *****ho campaigned for the abolition of slavery. He published his autobiography in three complete versions, which depicted ***** life as a slave in ***** South and a runaway ***** in the North. ***** described what life ***** a free bl*****ck was like before the Civil War; throughout his life he fought for equal rights ***** African *****s and ***** held several positions within ***** government. He was born in 1817 in Talbot County, Maryl***** to a slave named Harriet Bailey and an unknown white man. Because ***** mother was a sl*****ve, he also became a slave.

Separated from his ***** at a young *****ge, Douglass was taught how to read by a m*****ster's wife. Douglass' life ***** most influenced by his first book ***** ever purchased, The Columbian Orator, ***** convinced him of everyone's right to be free. This book was the corners*****ne in his ***** as it taught ***** the valuable skills of public speaking. His ***** *****ficial ***** engagement was in 1841 at the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society Convention in Nantucket. ***** was hired by the society as a full-time or*****tor. This initial position eventually led to his appointment with the much larger American Anti-Slavery Society, which allowed him ***** travel throughout ***** ***** speaking at meetings, giving lectures to the general public and helping recruit new members. Not only did he fight for the end to slavery, but one step fur*****r - equal ***** for all blacks. He ***** the most moving orator of all African American orators at that time.

***** ***** some growing speculation regarding whether he was actually ever a slave, Douglass decided to publish an autobiography entitled "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass," which ***** *****ed in 1845. He named ***** names of all of his former masters and described with brutal detail his life as a slave. This work was one of the first of its kind, ***** is still today one of the leading sources of information regarding slavery. ***** later published two additional autobiographies: "My Bondage and My Freedom" (1855), and finally "Life and Times of Frederick Douglass" (1881). Despite all ***** these accomplishments, he ***** feared capture by his owners, the Aulds; he went abroad in 1845, touring Engl***** and Ireland for ***** years. British friends ***** his *****dom in 1847, allowing ***** to return to America without ***** threat of eventual recapture. As if publishing a famous autobiography were not enough, Douglass began a *****sp*****per printed entirely by blacks upon his ***** to America. T***** weekly publication was called "The North Star," but was renamed "Frederick Douglass' Weekly." A supplemental publication entitled "Douglass' Monthly" followed. Douglass published these newspapers in his new home state of New York from December 1847 through May 1863. His fame only grew, not ***** as an orator, but now ***** a t*****lented journalist.