Famous African Americans - Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass was one of the most famous African American abolitionists. That means he worked to abolish slavery. He was the leading African American speaker of the 1800s. He also met with President Abraham Lincoln in the White House during the Civil War.

Douglass was a former slave from Maryland. His freedom was not easily obtained. As a child, his master’s wife taught him how to read and write. After that, he knew he wanted to be free. He escaped to New Bedford, Massachusetts.

The first time he spoke was at the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society. Douglass simply told the audience what freedom meant to him. Everyone was very impressed by his speech. So the society sent him on the road to lecture about life as a slave.​

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Two years later, Douglass returned to the United States. He created an anti-slavery newspaper. He also aided the Underground Railroad. Eventually, he became an unofficial advisor to Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War.