Frederick Douglass

NAME Frederick Douglass (born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey)

WHAT FAMOUS FOR Frederick Douglass was an abolitionist, writer, and orator who escaped slavery and became one of the most influential voices against slavery in the 19th century. His autobiographies, speeches, and activism played a crucial role in the fight for emancipation and equal rights.

BIRTH Frederick Douglass was born in February 1818 in Talbot County, Maryland. The exact date of his birth is unknown, but he later chose February 14 as his birthday.

FAMILY BACKGROUND Douglass was born into slavery. His mother, Harriet Bailey, was an enslaved woman, and his father was believed to be a white man, possibly his enslaver.  He had limited contact with his mother before she passed away as she was hired out to another plantation.

CHILDHOOD  As a child, Douglass experienced the brutal conditions of slavery, including physical abuse and forced labor. He was sent to Baltimore to work for the Auld family, where Sophia Auld began teaching him the alphabet before her husband forbade it. Despite this, he secretly taught himself to read and write, realizing that literacy was a path to freedom.

EDUCATION Though largely self-taught, Douglass used every opportunity to learn. He read newspapers, books, and political essays, educating himself on abolitionist thought. His intellectual growth fueled his desire to escape slavery.

CAREER RECORD Slave (until his escape in 1838)

Ship caulker (after escaping)

Abolitionist speaker and lecturer

Writer and journalist (founded The North Star newspaper)

Government official (held various positions, including U.S. Minister to Haiti)

APPEARANCE Douglass was known for his striking and dignified presence. He had a tall, strong build and was often photographed with his piercing gaze, symbolizing his confidence and defiance against oppression.

Portrait c.1879

FASHION He dressed in elegant and formal attire, often wearing suits with high collars, waistcoats, and cravats. His polished style reinforced his image as an educated and respectable leader.

CHARACTER Douglass was known for his intelligence, resilience, and unwavering commitment to justice. He was deeply principled, fiercely independent, and dedicated to the cause of human rights, even when faced with threats and opposition.

SPEAKING VOICE He had a deep, powerful voice that captivated audiences. His speeches were eloquent, passionate, and persuasive, often mixing logic with emotional storytelling to highlight the injustices of slavery.

On July 5, 1852, Douglass delivered his famous speech "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" In it, he criticized the hypocrisy of celebrating American freedom while millions remained enslaved, making it one of the most powerful indictments of slavery in U.S. history.

SENSE OF HUMOUR Despite the seriousness of his mission, Frederick Douglass possessed a sharp wit and a keen sense of humor. His speeches often included biting satire and clever wordplay, which helped him connect with audiences. He once remarked that the United States celebrated liberty while denying it to millions, saying, “The Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn.”

RELATIONSHIPS Frederick Douglass married twice in his lifetime.

His first marriage was to Anna Murray on September 15, 1838, in New York. Anna was a free Black woman who played a significant role in Douglass's escape from slavery. Together, they had five children: Rosetta, Lewis Henry, Frederick Jr., Charles Remond, and Annie. Annie, their youngest, died at the age of ten.

Anna Murray Douglass c. 1860

After Anna's death in 1882, Douglass married Helen Pitts on January 24, 1884. The wedding took place at the home of a mutual friend. Helen was a white suffragist and abolitionist, about twenty years younger than Douglass. This second marriage did not produce any children. Their interracial marriage was controversial, but Douglass dismissed criticism, saying, "This proves I am impartial. My first wife was the color of my mother, and my second, the color of my father."

Pitts, seated, with Frederick Douglass. The standing woman is her sister, Eva Pitts.

MONEY AND FAME Douglass gained wealth and international fame through his best-selling autobiographies and public speaking tours. His lecture fees and book sales provided him with a comfortable income, which he used to fund abolitionist efforts and support his family. However, he remained committed to the cause, once rejecting a high-paying government job because he feared it would compromise his activism.

FOOD AND DRINK Douglass wrote about how food was used as a tool of oppression in slavery. He described how enslaved people were often given just enough to survive, while their enslavers feasted. As a free man, he appreciated fine dining and entertained guests with thoughtful conversation over meals.

Douglass recognized the impact of nutrition and living conditions on physical development. He observed how improved diet led to better physical growth among Irish Americans, demonstrating his awareness of the connection between lifestyle and bodily health.

Despite being a teetotaler, Douglass reportedly enjoyed cigars.

MUSIC AND ARTS Douglass was deeply moved by music and the arts. He believed spirituals and folk songs sung by enslaved people were not expressions of joy, but of sorrow and resistance. His influence in the arts extended to classical music, as he introduced soprano Marie Selika Williams at her historic White House performance in 1878.

Douglass enjoyed playing the violin and taught his grandson to play as well.

Frederick Douglass was one of the most photographed Americans of the 19th century, surpassing other notable figures like Abraham Lincoln and Walt Whitman.  Douglass deliberately used photography as a tool to transform the perception of Black Americans and challenge stereotypes. He understood the power of visual representation and spent considerable time posing for photographs, estimated at over 26 hours if each exposure took an average of 10 minute. Douglass never smiled for photos, specifically to counter the notion of a happy slave.

LITERATURE A self-taught reader, Douglass saw literacy as the key to freedom. His love for literature began when he secretly read books like The Columbian Orator, which shaped his views on human rights. He later became a best-selling author, with Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (1845) My Bondage and My Freedom (1855), and Life and Times of Frederick Douglass (1881), cementing his legacy as one of the greatest writers of the 19th century. 

 Douglass founded The North Star, an abolitionist newspaper, in 1847. The paper’s motto—"Right is of no sex, Truth is of no color, God is the Father of us all, and we are all Brethren"—was both an editorial stance and a polite way of telling racists and sexists to go take a hike.

NATURE Douglass often found solace in nature, particularly the Chesapeake Bay, which he longed to cross as a young enslaved boy. He also enjoyed walks in Washington, D.C., and Rochester, New York, where he lived for many years. His connection to nature was both personal and symbolic, representing the freedom he fought for.

PETS Douglass wrote about how enslaved children, including himself, sometimes found comfort in animals when human kindness was denied to them. He sometimes used the image of the horse in his writings and speeches, often to draw comparisons between the treatment of animals and the dehumanization of enslaved people.

HOBBIES AND SPORTS  Douglass famously fought back against Edward Covey, a "slave-breaker" known for his brutality. This physical confrontation lasted for two hours and marked a turning point in Douglass's life, after which he was determined to protect himself from physical assaults. Following the incident with Covey, Douglass made a conscious decision to maintain his physical strength to defend himself against potential attacks. (1) 

 Douglass had a collection of walking canes, indicating an interest in these items.

SCIENCE AND MATHS Douglass recognized the importance of scientific advancement and education. He championed equal access to education for African Americans, including in science and mathematics, believing knowledge was the pathway to true liberation.

ACTIVISM It is hard to overstate how impressive Frederick Douglass was. Born into slavery, after escaping to freedom on September 3, 1838, he dedicated his life to abolition and civil rights. 

Douglass first took up public speaking in 1841 after being recruited by the American Anti-Slavery Society. His storytelling was so gripping that some people refused to believe he had ever been enslaved. (The notion that an enslaved person could be both eloquent and highly intelligent was apparently too much for them to handle.) In response, Douglass wrote his 1845 autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, which quickly became a bestseller and only made the skeptics more suspicious. His former enslaver, enraged to find Douglass famous and free, made noises about recapturing him—so Douglass wisely took an extended trip to Europe.

Frederick Douglass, c. 1840s, in his 20s

During his travels in Britain and Ireland (1846–47), Douglass not only spread the message of abolition but also won over so many admirers that they raised money to officially purchase his freedom. (It is a strange quirk of history that one of America’s greatest champions of liberty had to be bought out of bondage.) He returned to Britain again in 1859–60 for another lecture tour, because if there was one thing Douglass loved more than an audience, it was an audience that actually listened.

By the time the Civil War broke out, Douglass was a force to be reckoned with. He met with Abraham Lincoln, recruited Black men for the Union Army (including two of his own sons), and relentlessly pressed Lincoln to make the war about ending slavery, not just preserving the Union. Lincoln, convinced he was going to lose reelection in 1864, even asked Douglass to organize a last-ditch effort to free as many enslaved people as possible before the next president could undo progress. (Lincoln ultimately won, so Douglass didn't have to.)

Douglass was also a champion of women’s suffrage—an uncommon position for a man in the 19th century. In 1848, he was the only Black person to attend the Seneca Falls Convention, where he argued that denying women the vote made as little sense as denying it to Black men (which, frankly, was also still happening). When some attendees hesitated about pushing for women's suffrage, Douglass pointed out that demanding anything less than full equality was an insult to the movement.

Douglass spent the rest of his life fighting for justice, including securing rights for formerly enslaved people in the postwar era. He became the first African American to hold high political office when he was appointed consul-general to Haiti. His home, Cedar Hill, became a hub of intellectual discussion, activism, and possibly some very well-argued dinner parties.

He died in 1895, after attending a women’s rights meeting—fitting, as he never stopped fighting for equality. 

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY Douglass believed in the power of moral reasoning and personal growth. He held a deep faith in God but rejected organized religion when it failed to uphold justice. His writings frequently invoked biblical themes, and he saw the struggle against slavery as both a political and spiritual battle. Douglass also valued self-education and considered knowledge a sacred tool for liberation.

Douglass was a fierce critic of the hypocrisy of American Christianity, denouncing what he called the "Christianity of this land," which condoned or ignored the horrors of slavery. Instead, he embraced "the pure, peaceable, and impartial Christianity of Christ."

POLITICS A lifelong advocate for justice, Douglass was a staunch Republican in the era when the party was the leading force for abolition and civil rights. He advised several U.S. presidents, including Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant, and spoke out for universal suffrage. While he initially supported the 15th Amendment, granting Black men the right to vote, he was criticized for prioritizing it over women’s suffrage—though he remained an ally of the movement.

SCANDAL Douglass’s second marriage to Helen Pitts, a white woman nearly 20 years his junior, caused controversy in both Black and white communities. Many in the Black community saw it as a betrayal, while white society was outraged by the interracial union. Despite the backlash, Douglass and Pitts remained committed to each other. 

MILITARY RECORD Though Douglass never served in the military, he played a crucial role in recruitment during the Civil War. He personally met with Lincoln and urged him to allow Black men to enlist in the Union Army. Douglass’s own sons, Lewis and Charles, served in the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, one of the first African American regiments.

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS Douglass was known for his imposing presence—standing nearly six feet tall with a powerful physique. He maintained an active lifestyle, including horseback riding. His demanding schedule of speaking engagements and writing took a toll on his health, but he remained vigorous well into his later years.

HOMES Douglass lived in several significant homes, including his residence in Rochester, New York, where he published The North Star. In his later years, he moved to Cedar Hill, a grand estate in the Anacostia neighborhood of Washington, D.C., where he spent his final years. The home is now preserved as a National Historic Site. 

Cedar Hill, Douglass's house in tWashington, D.C.

Douglass had a special cabin called the "Growlery" where he would retreat for contemplation and writing

TRAVEL Douglass was an extensive traveler, not just across the United States but internationally. He toured Great Britain and Ireland, where he was welcomed as a hero and even raised funds to officially purchase his freedom from his former enslaver. His European travels also reinforced his belief in global human rights.

DEATH Frederick Douglass died suddenly on February 20, 1895, at his home in Anacostia, Washington D.C., at the age of 77. He had attended a meeting of the National Council of Women earlier that day and suffered a heart attack upon returning home.

The funeral service for Douglass was held on February 25, 1895, at the Metropolitan A.M.E. Church in Washington D.C.. The body lay in state at the church for public viewing until 3 p.m., when the service began. The funeral was conducted by Rev. J.G. Jenifer, with participation from Bishops Turner and Wayman. John W. Hutchinson, a lifelong friend and abolitionist singer, performed a solo.

Following the Washington D.C. services, Douglass's remains were transported to Rochester, New York, where he had lived for 25 years. On February 26, 1895, a memorial service was held at Rochester's Central Church. Afterward, an honor guard escorted the body to Mount Hope Cemetery for interment.

Douglass was buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Section T, Plot 2635. His grave, along with that of Susan B. Anthony, is one of the most visited sites in this Victorian cemetery. A marker guides visitors to the gravesite from the cemetery's Fifth Avenue.

After Douglass's death, his second wife, Helen Pitts Douglass, established the Frederick Douglass Memorial and Historical Association to preserve his legacy. In 1962, Douglass's Cedar Hill home became part of the National Park system and was later designated as the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site in 1988

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA  Douglass has been portrayed in numerous films and television programs, often appearing as a wise, booming-voiced abolitionist who is somehow always the smartest person in the room (which, to be fair, was usually true). 

Some notable portrayals include:

Raymond St. Jacques in Glory (1989), where Douglass appears briefly but meaningfully in a film about the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, which he helped recruit.

Jeffrey Wright in Freedom: A History of Us (2003), a PBS documentary series that dramatizes key moments in American history.

David Oyelowo in The Good Lord Bird (2020), based on James McBride’s novel, where Douglass is depicted as both brilliant and a bit of an egotist—historically accurate, but played with a humorous twist.

Douglass has been featured in countless biographies, including his own three autobiographies, which remain some of the most powerful works of American literature. More recently, he has appeared in graphic novels like The Life of Frederick Douglass: A Graphic Narrative of a Slave’s Journey from Bondage to Freedom (2018), making his story accessible to a new generation.

His speeches and writings have been sampled in songs, including hip-hop and spoken word pieces. He’s also been referenced in everything from The Simpsons to Saturday Night Live, proving that his legacy isn’t just historical—it’s part of modern culture.

ACHIEVEMENTS Escaping from slavery

Becoming a powerful voice in the abolitionist movement

Publishing influential autobiographies

Founding and editing The North Star newspaper

Advising presidents and holding government positions

Championing civil rights and equality for African Americans

Sources (1) Britannica