Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass was born a slave in the south and escaped to his freedom. Although slaves were not allowed to be educated, Douglass taught himself how to read and write. Later in his life, he wrote an autobiography called, “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave” in 1845. It became popular and many were astounded by how a Black man could produce such literature. He was also one of the leaders in the fight for emancipation and led movements against slavery. During the Civil War, he helped the Union by recruiting black soldiers for the 54th Massachusetts Regiment. His influence during this time had created more effort towards the abolition of slavery.