Frederick Douglass

An alternate cover edition of this ISBN can be found here.Former slave, impassioned abolitionist, brilliant writer, newspaper editor and eloquent orator whose speeches fired the abolitionist cause, Frederick Douglass (1818–1895) led an astounding life. Physical abuse, deprivation and tragedy plagued his early years, yet through sheer force of character he was able to overcome these obstacles to become a leading spokesman for his people.In this, the first and most frequently read of his three autobiographies, Douglass provides graphic descriptions of his childhood and horrifying experiences as a slave as well as a harrowing record of his dramatic escape to the North and eventual freedom.Published in 1845 to quell doubts about his origins — since few slaves of that period could write — the Narrative is admired today for its extraordinary passion, sensitive and vivid descriptions and storytelling power. It belongs in the library of anyone interested in African-American history and the life of one of the country's most courageous and influential champions of civil rights. A selection of the Common Core State Standards Initiative.

Ex-slave Frederick Douglass's second autobiography-written after ten years of reflection following his legal emancipation in 1846 and his break with his mentor William Lloyd Garrison-catapulted Douglass into the international spotlight as the foremost spokesman for American blacks, both freed and slave. Written during his celebrated career as a speaker and newspaper editor, My Bondage and My Freedom reveals the author of the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (1845) grown more mature, forceful, analytical, and complex with a deepened commitment to the fight for equal rights and liberties. Edited with an Introduction and Notes by John David Smith"

Raised as a plantation slave, Douglass went on to become a writer, orator, and major participant in the struggle for African-American freedom and equality. In this engrossing narrative he recounts early years of abuse; his dramatic escape to the North and eventual freedom, abolitionist campaigns, and his crusade for full civil rights for former slaves.

This Modern Library Paperback Classics edition combines the two most important African American slave narratives into one volume. Frederick Douglass's Narrative, first published in 1845, is an enlightening and incendiary text. Born into slavery, Douglass became the preeminent spokesman for his people during his life; his narrative is an unparalleled account of the dehumanizing effects of slavery and Douglass's own triumph over it. Like Douglass, Harriet Jacobs was born into slavery, and in 1861 she published Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, now recognized as the most comprehensive antebellum slave narrative written by a woman. Jacobs's account broke the silence on the exploitation of African American female slaves, and it remains crucial reading. These narratives illuminate and inform each other. This edition includes an incisive Introduction by Kwame Anthony Appiah and extensive annotations.

What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July? (1852) is a speech by Frederick Douglass. Having escaped from slavery in the South at a young age, Frederick Douglass became a prominent orator and autobiographer who spearheaded the American abolitionist movement in the mid-nineteenth century. In this famous speech, published widely in pamphlet form after it was given to a meeting of the Rochester Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society on July 5th, 1852, Douglass exposes the hypocrisy of America’s claim to Christian and democratic ideals in spite of its legacy of enslavement. Personal and political, Douglass’ speech helped inspire the burgeoning abolitionist movement, which fought tirelessly for emancipation in the decades leading up to the American Civil War. “What have I, or those I represent, to do with your national independence? Are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us?...What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer; a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim.” Drawing upon his own experiences as an escaped slave, Douglass offers a critique of American independence from the perspective of those who had never been free within its borders. Hopeful and courageous, Douglass’ voice remains an essential part of our history, reminding us time and again who we are, who we have been, and what we can be as a nation. While much of his radical message has been smoothed over through the passage of time, its revolutionary truth continues to resonate today. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Frederick Douglass’ What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July? is a classic of African American literature reimagined for modern readers.

Born a slave, Frederick Douglass educated himself, escaped, and made himself one of the greatest leaders in American history. Here in this Library of America volume are collected his three autobiographical narratives, now recognized as classics of both American history and American literature. Writing with the eloquence and fierce intelligence that made him a brilliantly effective spokesman for the abolition of slavery and equal rights, Douglass shapes an inspiring vision of self-realization in the face of monumental odds.Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave (1845), published seven years after his escape, was written in part as a response to skeptics who refused to believe that so articulate an orator could ever have been a slave. A powerfully compressed account of the cruelty and oppression of the Maryland plantation culture into which Douglass was born, it brought him to the forefront of the anti-slavery movement and drew thousands, black and white, to the cause.In My Bondage and My Freedom (1855), written after he had established himself as a newspaper editor, Douglass expands the account of his slave years. With astonishing psychological penetration, he probes the painful ambiguities and subtly corrosive effects of black-white relations under slavery, then goes on to recount his determined resistance to segregation in the North. The book also incorporates extracts from Douglass’s renowned speeches, including the searing “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?”Life and Times of Frederick Douglass, first published in 1881, records Douglass’s efforts to keep alive the struggle for racial equality in the years following the Civil War. Now a socially and politically prominent figure, he looks back, with a mixture of pride and bitterness, on the triumphs and humiliations of a unique public career. John Brown, Abraham Lincoln, William Lloyd Garrison, and Harriet Beecher Stowe all feature prominently in this chronicle of a crucial epoch in American history. The revised edition of 1893, presented here, includes an account of his controversial diplomatic mission to Haiti.This volume contains a detailed chronology of Douglass’s life, notes providing further background on the events and people mentioned, and an account of the textual history of each of the autobiographies.

The Heroic Slave was Frederick Douglass' only piece of fiction. He wrote it in response to the Rochester Ladies' Anti-Slavery Society's request for a submission to be included in their anthology Autographs for Freedom. The Heroic Slave is a retelling of an actual rebellion led by Madison Washington on the slave ship Creole. Douglass shows how the rebellion is part of a revolution and therefore fundamentally American.

Frederick Douglass was an American abolitionist, editor, orator, author, statesman and reformer. Called "The Sage of Anacostia" and "The Lion of Anacostia," Douglass was one of the most prominent figures in African American history, and one of the most influential lecturers and authors in American history. His towering posture showed dignity and strength, and when he spoke, his baritone voice was powerful. These features together gave Douglass a strong presence. He was a firm believer in the equality of all people, whether black, female, American Indian, or recent immigrant. Douglass devoted his life to advocating the brotherhood of all humankind. He was fond of saying, "I would unite with anybody to do right and with nobody to do wrong." "Those who profess to favor freedom and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground, they want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the roar of its many waters."

THE MOST COMPLETE COLLECTION OF WRITTEN WORKS & SPEECHES BY FREDERICK DOUGLASS [Newly Illustrated]This Ebook Features Dynamic Links for Ease of Navigation Plus Enjoy the Bonus Audiobook!This Collections Includes:The Life and Times of Frederick DouglassCollected Articles of Frederick Douglass, a SlaveMY BONDAGE and MY FREEDOMNarrative of the Life of Frederick DouglassMany Writings and SpeechesHERE ARE THE SPECIFICS:LIFE AS A SLAVECHAPTER I. AUTHOR'S BIRTHCHAPTER II. REMOVAL FROM GRANDMOTHER'SCHAPTER III. TROUBLES OF CHILDHOODCHAPTER IV. A GENERAL SURVEY OF THE SLAVE PLANTATIONCHAPTER V. A SLAVEHOLDER'S CHARACTERCHAPTER VI. A CHILD'S REASONINGCHAPTER VII. LUXURIES AT THE GREAT HOUSECHAPTER VIII. CHARACTERISTICS OF OVERSEERSCHAPTER IX. CHANGE OF LOCATIONCHAPTER X. LEARNING TO READCHAPTER XI. GROWING IN KNOWLEDGECHAPTER XII. RELIGIOUS NATURE AWAKENEDCHAPTER XIII. THE VICISSITUDES OF SLAVE LIFECHAPTER XIV. EXPERIENCE IN ST. MICHAELSCHAPTER XV. COVEY, THE NEGRO BREAKERCHAPTER XVI. ANOTHER PRESSURE OF THE TYRANT'S VISECHAPTER XVII. THE LAST FLOGGINGCHAPTER XVIII. NEW RELATIONS AND DUTIESCHAPTER XIX. THE RUNAWAY PLOTCHAPTER XX.CHAPTER XXI. ESCAPE FROM SLAVERYSECOND PARTCHAPTER I. ESCAPE FROM SLAVERYCHAPTER II. LIFE AS A FREEMANCHAPTER III. INTRODUCED TO THE ABOLITIONISTSCHAPTER IV. RECOLLECTIONS OF OLD FRIENDSCHAPTER V. ONE HUNDRED CONVENTIONSCHAPTER VI. IMPRESSIONS ABROADCHAPTER VII. TRIUMPHS AND TRIALSCHAPTER VIII. JOHN BROWN AND MRS. STOWECHAPTER IX. INCREASING DEMANDS OF THE SLAVE POWERCHAPTER X. THE BEGINNING OF THE ENDCHAPTER XI. SECESSION AND WAR"MEN OF COLOR, TO ARMS!”THE BLACK MAN AT THE WHITE HOUSECHAPTER XII. HOPE FOR THE NATIONCHAPTER XIII. VAST CHANGESCHAPTER XIV. LIVING AND LEARNINGCHAPTER XV. WEIGHED IN THE BALANCECHAPTER XVI. "TIME MAKES ALL THINGS EVEN"CHAPTER XVII. INCIDENTS AND EVENTSCHAPTER XVIII. "HONOR TO WHOM HONOR"CHAPTER XIX. RETROSPECTIONCONCLUSIONAPPENDIXWEST INDIA EMANCIPATIONTHIRD PARTCHAPTER I. LATER LIFECHAPTER II. A GRAND OCCASIONCHAPTER III. DOUBTS AS TO GARFIELD'S COURSECHAPTER IV. RECORDER OF DEEDSCHAPTER V. PRESIDENT CLEVELAND'S ADMINISTRATIONCHAPTER VI. THE SUPREME COURT DECISIONCHAPTER VII. DEFEAT OF JAMES G. BLAINECHAPTER VIII. EUROPEAN TOURCHAPTER IX. CONTINUATION OF EUROPEAN TOURCHAPTER X. THE CAMPAIGN OF 1888CHAPTER XI. ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT HARRISONCHAPTER XII. MINISTER TO HAÏTICHAPTER XIII. CONTINUED NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE MÔLE ST. NICOLASCOLLECTED ARTICLES OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS, A SLAVEMY ESCAPE FROM SLAVERYRECONSTRUCTIONMY BONDAGE and MY FREEDOMCONTENTSEDITORS PREFACEINTRODUCTIONLIFE AS A SLAVE?I--CHILDHOODII--REMOVED FROM MY FIRST HOMEIII--PARENTAGEIV--A GENERAL SURVEY OF THE SLAVE PLANTATIONV--GRADUAL INITIATION INTO THE MYSTERIES OF SLAVERYVI--TREATMENT OF SLAVES ON LLOYDS PLANTATIONVII--LIFE IN THE GREAT HOUSEVIII--A CHAPTER OF HORRORSIX--PERSONAL TREATMENTX--LIFE IN BALTIMOREXI--"A CHANGE CAME O'ER THE SPIRIT OF MY DREAM"XII--RELIGIOUS NATURE AW

A newly edited collection of the seminal writings and speeches of a legendary writer, orator, and civil rights leader.The life of Frederick Douglass is nothing less than the history of America in the 19th century from slavery to reconstruction. His influence was felt in the political sphere, major social movements, literary culture, and even international affairs. His resounding words tell not only his own remarkable story, but also that of a burgeoning nation forced to reckon with its tremulous moral ground. This compact volume offers a full course on a necessary historical figure, giving voice once again to a man whose guiding words are needed now as urgently as ever.The Portable Frederick Douglass includes the full range of Douglass's writings, from autobiographical writings that span from his life as a slave child to his memories of slavery as an elder statesman in the late 1870s; his protest fiction (one of the first works of African American fiction); his brilliant oratory, constituting the greatest speeches of the Civil War era, which launched his political career; and his journalistic essays that range from cultural and political critique to art, literature, law, history, philosophy, and reform.

Illus. in black-and-white. Opening note by Coretta Scott King. For the first time, the most important account ever written of a childhood in slavery is accessible to young readers. From his days as a young boy on a plantation to his first months as a freeman in Massachusetts, here are Douglass's own firsthand experiences vividly recounted--expertly excerpted and powerfully illustrated.

In "My Escape from Slavery," Frederick Douglass reveals the missing piece of his autobiography, in a tale that could not have been told without endangering others while slavery continued to exist. In "The Destiny of Colored Americans," he looks to the future."In the first narrative of my experience in slavery, written nearly forty years ago, and in various writings since, I have given the public what I considered very good reasons for withholding the manner of my escape..." In "My Escape from Slavery," Frederick Douglass reveals the missing piece of his autobiography, in a tale that could not have been told without endangering others while slavery continued to exist."The white man's happiness cannot be be purchased by the black man's misery." "The Destiny of Colored Americans" is a prophetic essay first published in his abolitionist newspaper, the North Star. Douglass started adding his initials "F.D." at the end of his writing when it was questioned that such thoughtful, well-reasoned work could come from an ex-slave.(44:51 minutes)

Two essays by Frederick Douglass in which he tells of his escape from the LLoyd Plantation in Talbot County, Maryland, and gives his views on Reconstruction when he returned for a visit to the Eastern Shore following the Civil War.

After escaping from slavery, Frederick Douglass wrote and taught against slavery.

This unique collection consists of the most influential narratives of former slaves and the stories of people who have helped them. With their powerful & unflinching stories, they changed people's convictions and shook the very foundation of slavery:Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass12 Years a Slave by Solomon NorthupThe Underground RailroadThe Willie Lynch Letter: The Making of Slave! Confessions of Nat TurnerNarrative of Sojourner TruthIncidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, by Harriet JacobsHarriet: The Moses of Her PeopleHistory of Mary PrinceRunning a Thousand Miles for Freedom, by William and Ellen CraftThirty Years a Slave: From Bondage to Freedom, by Louis HughesNarrative of the Life of J. D. Green, a Runaway SlaveUp From Slavery by Booker T. WashingtonNarrative of Olaudah EquianoBehind The Scenes - 30 Years a Slave & 4 Years in the White House, by Elizabeth KeckleyFather Henson's Story of His Own LifeFifty Years in Chains, by Charles BallTwenty-Two Years a Slave and Forty Years a Freeman, by Austin StewardNarrative of the Life of Henry BibbNarrative of William W. Brown, a Fugitive SlaveStory of Mattie J. JacksonA Slave Girl's Story, by Kate DrumgooldFrom the Darkness Cometh the Light, by Lucy A. DelaneyNarrative of the Life of Moses GrandyNarrative of Joanna; An Emancipated Slave, of SurinamNarrative of the Life of Henry Box Brown, Who Escaped in a 3x2 Feet BoxMemoir and Poems of Phillis WheatleyBuried Alive For a Quarter of a Century - Life of William WalkerPictures of Slavery in Church and StateDying Speech of Stephen Smith Who Was Executed for BurglaryLife of Joseph MountainCharge of Aiding and Abetting in the Rescue of a Fugitive SlaveLynch Law in All Its PhasesDuty of Disobedience to the Fugitive Slave ActCaptain CanotPearl Incident: Personal Memoir of Daniel DraytonHistory of Abolition of African Slave-TradeHistory of American Abolitionism

The early literature of African-Americans is an important part of our cultural heritage, and here, collected in one volume, are three of the most significant of these works: The Heroic Slave, Clotel, and Our Nig. These form a milestone collection of the pioneering novels of African-American literature.

This carefully crafted ebook: "Slavery: Not Forgiven, Never Forgotten" is formatted for your eReader with a functional and detailed table of contents:MemoirsNarrative of Frederick Douglass12 Years a SlaveThe Underground RailroadUp From SlaveryWillie Lynch LetterConfessions of Nat TurnerNarrative of Sojourner TruthIncidents in the Life of a Slave GirlHistory of Mary PrinceRunning a Thousand Miles for FreedomThirty Years a SlaveNarrative of the Life of J. D. GreenThe Life of Olaudah EquianoBehind The ScenesHarriet: The Moses of Her PeopleFather Henson's Story of His Own Life50 Years in ChainsTwenty-Two Years a Slave and Forty Years a FreemanNarrative of the Life and Adventures of Henry BibbNarrative of William W. Brown, a Fugitive SlaveStory of Mattie J. JacksonA Slave Girl's StoryFrom the Darkness Cometh the LightNarrative of the Life of Moses GrandyNarrative of JoannaNarrative of the Life of Henry Box Brown, Who Escaped in a 3x2 Feet BoxMemoir and Poems of Phillis WheatleyBuried Alive (Behind Prison Walls) For a Quarter of a CenturySketches of the Life of Joseph Mountain NovelsOroonoko Uncle Tom's CabinAdventures of Huckleberry FinnHeroic SlaveSlavery's Pleasant HomesOur NigClotelleMarrow of TraditionAutobiography of an Ex-Colored ManA Fool's ErrandBricks Without StrawImperium in ImperioThe Hindered HandHistorical DocumentsThe History of Abolition of African Slave-TradeHistory of American AbolitionismPictures of Slavery in Church and StateLife, Last Words and Dying Speech of Stephen Smith Who Was Executed for BurglaryReport on Charge of Aiding and Abetting in the Rescue of a Fugitive SlaveSouthern Horrors: Lynch Law in All Its PhasesDuty of Disobedience to the Fugitive Slave ActEmancipation Proclamation (1863)Gettysburg AddressXIII Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (1865)Civil Rights Act of 1866XIV Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (1868)Reconstruction Acts (1867-1868)...

One of the greatest African American leaders and one of the most brilliant minds of his time, Frederick Douglass spoke and wrote with unsurpassed eloquence on almost all the major issues confronting the American people during his life—from the abolition of slavery to women’s rights, from the Civil War to lynching, from American patriotism to black nationalism. Between 1950 and 1975, Philip S. Foner collected the most important of Douglass’s hundreds of speeches, letters, articles, and editorials into an impressive five-volume set, now long out of print. Abridged and condensed into one volume, and supplemented with several important texts that Foner did not include, this compendium presents the most significant, insightful, and elegant short works of Douglass’s massive oeuvre.

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Author, abolitionist, political activist, and philosopher, Frederick Douglass was a pivotal figure in the decades of struggle leading up to the Civil War and the Reconstruction era. This inexpensive compilation of his speeches adds vital detail to the portrait of a great historical figure.Featured addresses include "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" which was delivered on July 5, 1852, more than ten years before the Emancipation Proclamation. "Had I the ability, and could reach the nation's ear, I would, today, pour out a fiery stream of biting ridicule, blasting reproach, withering sarcasm, and stern rebuke," Douglass assured his listeners, "For it is not light that is needed, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake." Other eloquent and dramatic orations include "Self-Made Men," first delivered in 1859, which defines the principles behind individual success, and "The Church and Prejudice," delivered at the Plymouth County Anti-Slavery Society in 1841.

Your purchase helps fund free educational resources!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This collection of classic slave narratives includes The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, and The History of Mary Prince.

One of 60 low-priced classic texts published to celebrate Penguin's 60th anniversary. All the titles are extracts from "Penguin Classics" titles.

A former slave, self-taught writer, editor, and public servant, Frederick Douglass was also among the foremost leaders of the abolitionist movement. Recognized as one of the first great African-American speakers in the United States, Douglass was an advisor to President Lincoln during the Civil War and fought for the adoption of constitutional amendments that guaranteed voting rights and other civil liberties for blacks.This book includes representative selections from the speeches and writings of this great statesman, with topics focusing on the slave trade, the Civil War, suffrage for African-Americans, reconstruction in the South, and other vital issues.A powerful voice for human rights throughout much of the 19th century, Douglass remains highly respected today for his fight against racial injustice.

Frederick Douglass was an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from slavery he became a national leader of the abolitionist movement, gaining preeminence for his oratory and anti-slavery writing.NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS is a dramatic autobiography of the early life of an American slave, first published in 1845 when its author had just achieved his freedom. Its shocking first-hand account of the horrors of slavery became an international bestseller. His eloquence led Frederick Douglass to become the first great African-American leader in the United States.MY BONDAGE AND MY FREEDOM is Frederick Douglass’ second autobiography. First published in 1855—at the height of Douglass’s involvement in the abolitionist movement—his narrative describes the steps that had led him to the forefront of the struggle for racial justice. Writing a decade of reflection following his legal emancipation in 1846, and after breaking with his mentor, William Lloyd Garrison, Douglass became catapulted into the international spotlight as the foremost spokesman for American blacks, both freed and slave.Read these two autobiographical classics of American literature and discover the brilliance and determination of the incredible leader, Frederick Douglass.

Born into slavery in Talbot County, Maryland, Frederick Douglass became a champion of the abolitionist movement after escaping to the North in 1838. Douglass later remarked upon his arrival in New York, ?I have often been asked how I felt when I first found myself on free soil. And my readers may share the same curiosity.OCO Readers did indeed share in this curiosity and Douglass became a much-admired orator and writer, active in both the abolitionist and the womenOCOs suffrage movements. Douglass is best remembered through his autobiography, "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass," "an American Slave," "Written By Himself." This, "My Bondage and My Freedom," and several of DouglassOCO speeches offer important glimpses into American history and are now available in a chic and affordable edition as part of the Word Cloud Classics series from Canterbury Classics. This edition includes: "The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass""My Bondage and My Freedom"Reception SpeechLetter to His Old MasterThe Nature of SlaveryInhumanity of SlaveryWhat to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?The Internal Slave Trade, The Slavery PartyThe Anti-Slavery Movement"

Why is the Negro lynched? (1895). This book, "Why is the Negro lynched?," by Frederick Douglass, is a replication of a book originally published before 1895. It has been restored by human beings, page by page, so that you may enjoy it in a form as close to the original as possible.

"In Frederick Douglass in Brooklyn, Theodore Hamm persuasively and passionately makes the case that the borough (and former city) became a powerful forum for Douglass's abolitionist agenda in the mid-19th century after he escaped slavery in 1838."-- New York Times "Insight into the remarkable life of a remarkable man. [Frederick] Douglass in Brooklyn shows how the great author and agitator associated with radicals--and he associated with the president of the United States. A fine book."-- Errol Louis , host of NY1's Road to City Hall "A collection of rousing 19th-century speeches on freedom and humanity. The eloquent orator Frederick Douglass (c. 1818-1895) delivered eight impressive speeches in Brooklyn, New York, 'far from a bastion of abolitionist support,' which, even as late as 1886, had only a small black population...Editor Hamm provides helpful introductions and notes and gives illuminating context and perspective by including their coverage in the 'virulently proslavery' Brooklyn Eagle ...Covering one speech, the Eagle defended its claim of black inferiority by asserting, 'the abject submission of a race who are content to be enslaved when there is an opportunity to be free, gives the best evidence that they are fulfilling the destiny which Providence marked out for them.' Proof that Douglass' speeches, responding to the historical exigencies of his time, amply bear rereading today."-- Kirkus Reviews "Although he never lived in Brooklyn, the great abolitionist Frederick Douglass had many friends and allies who did. Hamm has collected Douglass's searing antislavery speeches (and denunciations of him by the pro-slavery newspaper the Brooklyn Eagle ) delivered at Brooklyn locales during the mid-19th century."-- Publishers Weekly , A notable African-American Title "This timely volume [presents] Douglass' towering voice in a way that sounds anything but dated."-- Philadelphia Tribune "Though he never lived there, Frederick Douglass and the city of Brooklyn engaged in a profound repartee in the decades leading up to the Civil War, the disagreements between the two parties revealing the backward views of a borough that was much less progressive than it liked to think...Hamm...[illuminates] the complexities of a city and a figure at the vanguard of change."-- Village Voice This volume compiles original source material that illustrates the complex relationship between Frederick Douglass and the city of Brooklyn. Most prominent are the speeches the abolitionist gave at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Plymouth Church, and other leading Brooklyn institutions. Whether discussing the politics of the Civil War or recounting his relationships with Abraham Lincoln and John Brown, Douglass's towering voice sounds anything but dated. An introductory essay examines the intricate ties between Douglass and Brooklyn abolitionists, while brief chapter introductions and annotations fill in the historical context. Frederick Douglass (1818–1895) was an abolitionist leader, spokesman for racial equality, and defender of women's rights. He was born into slavery in Maryland and learned to read and write around age twelve, and it was through this that his ideological opposition to slavery began to take shape. He successfully escaped bondage in 1838. In 1845, he published his first autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave , which became a best seller in the US and was translated into several languages. He went on to advise President Abraham Lincoln on the treatment of black soldiers during the Civil War and continued to work for equality until his death.

This volume contains a collection of the most popular and representative offerings of Frederick Douglass's 50-year literary career. The work offers a diverse and personally revealing record of one of 19th-century America's most celebrated black writers.

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

*IllustratedWith the possible exception of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., no African American has been more instrumental in the fight for minorities’ civil rights in the United States than Frederick Douglass 1818–1895), an American social reformer, orator, writer and statesman. His list of accomplishments would be impressive enough even without taking into account the fact that he was born into slavery. Douglass originally stated that he was told his father was a white man, perhaps his master Aaron Anthony. When Douglass was about 12, his slaveowner’s wife Sophia Auld began teaching him the alphabet in defiance of the South’s laws against teaching slaves how to read. When her husband Hugh found out, he was furious, reminding her that if the slave learned to read, he would become dissatisfied with his condition and desire freedom. His words would prove prophetic.Douglass is noted as saying that "knowledge is the pathway from slavery to freedom,” and he took that advice to heart, teaching himself how to read and write with his knowledge of the alphabet. On September 3, 1838, Douglass successfully escaped slavery by traveling by boat to Delaware, Philadelphia, and finally New York, all in the span of a day. Douglass found a “new world had opened upon me.”After escaping from slavery, Douglass became a leader of the abolitionist movement, gaining note for his dazzling oratory and antislavery writing. He stood out as the living embodiment of an intellectual former slave, the antithesis of slaveholders’ arguments that blacks were an inferior race. Douglass remained active in the fight for civil rights and abolition throughout the Civil War and Reconstruction, urging Lincoln to let black men enlist in the Union. As Douglass constantly stated, nobody had more to fight for in the Civil War than black men.Douglass continued his advocacy all the way until his death in 1895. Douglass was a firm believer in the equality of all people, advocating on behalf of blacks, women, immigrants and even Native Americans. Douglass famously said, "I would unite with anybody to do right and with nobody to do wrong."This edition of Reconstruction specially formatted for e-readers.