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Southerners during the 19th century believed slavery was a valuable commodity. According to the Historical Statistics of the United States, it was estimated that there were around three million slaves throughout that time period (“Statistics on Slavery”). Also, during this time, women were denied many governmental rights. In a time of social oppression regarding the human rights of women and African Americans, this caused sparked many activists struggling to fight for the freedom all people deserve. A variety of different people supported these movements but one of the most prominent figures was Frederick Douglass. He endured many of hardships in his years of slavery, but he used these experiences to better himself into becoming one of the most influential Civil Rights Activists in American history. Frederick Douglass’s efforts helped foster women’s rights and cultivate civilians to end the practice of slavery, forever changing history.
Frederick Douglass was born in February 1808 in Tuckahoe, Maryland. Born into slavery, he became one of the most eminent advocates of abolition. Douglass grew up through a childhood of punishments. Growing up as a slave and seeing the aspects of slavery ached Douglass (Hagler). Douglass was later sent to Baltimore to live with Hugh Auld for seven years. His old mistress, Sophia Auld, taught Douglass the alphabet and then how to spell simple words. As soon as Hugh Auld discovered this, he forbade Sophia to ever teach Douglass again. Although his mistress never sought to teach Douglass again, he finally understood the pathway to freedom (Douglass 29). With the help of Sophia Auld, it commenced a journey to literacy. In addition, Douglass began reading books and discovered the word “abolitionist.” This influenced Douglass to escape slavery and advocate for abolition.
Douglass is one of the foremost figures in American history because of his impact through his speeches and inspiration. Douglass became the first male to diligently participate in the Seneca Falls Convention. The Seneca Falls Convention was a meeting that instituted hope that women will be given the same rights as men. During his participation, Douglass became one of thirty men to sign the Declaration of Sentiments which hoped to gain civil and social rights for women (Frederick Douglass). Furthermore, this unveiled Douglass’s devotion to women’s suffrage.
Douglass helped establish many goals of the abolitionist movement. After his escape at age 20, he soon “established himself in the anti-slavery movement” (American Slavery). Douglass also published a newspaper called the North Star with the help of The Women’s Association of Philadelphia. The North Star solely became one of the most influential anti-slavery publications. The motto of the North Star was “Right is Of No Sex. Truth is Of No Color.” Moreover, it helped raise abolishing slavery, and also helped the women's rights movement. Despite that Douglass was a slave, his oratory was so profound, that his speeches were so powerful. Douglass's speeches “often pointed out the hypocrisy of the fact that the same patriotic Americans who fought for liberty and freedom could enslave an entire people.” (“Major Events in” ). His contribution as a conductor for the Underground Railroad furthered the cause of the abolitionists (“Douglass, Frederick”).
During the duration of his life, he also published three autobiographies, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, My Bondage and My Freedom, and Life and Times of Frederick Douglass.
A prominent figure associated with Frederick Douglass was Abraham Lincoln. Douglass disputed with Abraham Lincoln about many things such as black soldiers receiving half the pay as white soldiers (American Slavery). During the time of the Civil War, “tensions over slavery erupted” (“Frederick Douglass and”). At this time, Douglass was a consultant to Abraham Lincoln. Douglass persuaded Lincoln that the abolition of slavery should be the aspiration of the war ( “Douglass’s Role in”). The outcome of the Civil War was the Emancipation Proclamation which “granted freedom to the slaves in the Confederate States if the States did not return to the Union by January 1, 1863 (“Emancipation”). After many years of hard work, Frederick Douglass later died on February 20, 1895, in Washington D.C. due to a heart attack.
Frederick Douglass is remembered in history for helping strengthen diversity in America. Today, he is commemorated for being a prominent figure in the abolitionist movement. In addition, he is acknowledged as the “Father of the Civil Rights Movement”. There are many monuments dedicated to Douglass. One of the statutes is localized in Highland Park in New York. It is an eight-foot-tall bronze statue that was first located in front of a New York Central Train Station. This monument was first built in 1899 by the sculptor Stanley Edward. Another statue of Douglass stands at either entrance to the New York Historical Society.
It has been a century since Frederick Douglass became one of the greatest influencers of his time. Douglass endeavored his time in fueling the abolitionist movement in America. Not only did Douglass fight for African Americans' suffrage, but also for women’s. Douglass changed America in regard to civil rights and social oppression. He is without a doubt, a monumental figure in America’s history.
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