Frederick Douglass

== Frederick Douglass ==

Background

Frederick Douglass born into slavery in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland US 1818, died 1895 Washington DC, US. Aged 77 he lived a long life dedicated to social reform, politics and writing, a staunch defender and one of the most influential of african american rights and he also fought for women suffrage. (He was the first and only african-american at the event to attend the first Seneca falls convention in 1848 New York.)

At the young age of twelve he thaugt himself to read and write with help from white kids in the neighbourhood and written works of the men he work beside.

During his younger years there were many instances that flamed his incentive to escape and gain freedom, and in 1838 he escaped with a train, and after a days travel arrived in New York city.

Work and achievement

1840 he became a preacher at the local African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and after a visit to the British Isle, he founded the first abolishtionist newspaper The North star in his church local basement.

He is credited to delivering the ”greatest anti-slavery speech oration ever given” at the Rochester Anti-slavery Sewing Society.

Douglass joined the republican party and was a strong member in the abolitionist group in the party.

Under the American Civil war 1861-1865 He advised Abraham Lincoln during those years, a president that Frederick first despised and later admired. But still criticised the president at the unveiling of the lincoln memorial 1867 after Lincolns death "Though Mr. Lincoln shared the prejudices of his white fellow-countrymen against the Negro, it is hardly necessary to say that in his heart of hearts he loathed and hated slavery...."

One of his most famous works is his biography A Narrative On the life of Frederick Douglass, an American slave.

Role during Reconstruction Era 1865-1877

Douglass continued to fight for his views under the reconstruction era, an era where many violent group as the KKK disrupted southern elections. Douglass answer was to support the bid of the Republican Ulysses S. Grant (a prominent republican general under the civil war) and also accompanied Grants emissaries to the West Indies to annex Santa Domingo. Douglass started a newspaper called New National Era and served as a president of a southern private company, to help newly emancipated slaves in their hard economical situation.