Who is Frederick Douglass?
Frederick Douglass was a skillful public speaker and a prolific writer. With his masterful techniques in speaking and writing, he gained enormous listeners and readers throughout Britain and the United States.
This Master orator was also an American social reformer, writer, statesman, and abolitionist.
During his time, Enslavers argued that enslaved people like Frederick did not have the intellectuality to function as independent citizens of America. Fred, however, was a counterexample to the slaveholders who had this thought then.
Northerners never believed Fred was a slave because of how excellent he was.
This article will discuss Frederick Douglass’s biography, career, achievements, and net worth.
Here are some facts about him before we delve in.
Quick Facts About Frederick Douglass
| Full Name | Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey |
| Occupation | Author, editor, diplomat, writer, abolitionist |
| Nationality | American |
| Age | Died at 78 |
| Net Worth | $1.5 million – $5 million |
Frederick Douglass Biography
Frederick Douglass was an American writer, author, orator, editor, and diplomat. He was born on an unknown date in February 1817. Although he died on February 20, 1895, at 78 years of age, he lived a fulfilling life.
Like many of his kind, Fred was born into slavery in Talbot County, Maryland.
Fred once wrote that he did not know his exact age because there was no authentic record.
In several writings, he estimated when he was likely born, but his last estimation was 1817.
On the other hand, Fred’s former owner estimated his birth to be around February 1818.
Fred has no date of birth but chose to celebrate his birthday on February 14 because he recalls his mother calling him “Little Valentine.”
For this reason, it was logical for him to assume that he was born on the 14 of the said month, but he never stated so.
Frederick Douglass Family and Career
Fred was a mixed race, his mother was most undoubtedly African, and his father was European. At birth, his mother named him Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, but during his escape from slavery, he dropped the middle name and took Douglass.
Douglass recalled that there were rumors that his father was his master, but those were only unconfirmed rumors.
On the other hand, he knew his mother, but they were ruthlessly separated when he was only a boy. He recalled having his mother put him to bed at night but never got to see her during the day.
In the part of Maryland where he was born, separating children from their mothers at an early age was common.
Betsy Baily, Frederick’s grandmother, was a slave at the time. Because her husband was free, Fred was allowed to live with his grandparents after he separated from his mother.
Fred’s mother continued to work on her master’s plantation, which was 12 miles away from his grandmother’s home. She visited Frederick only a few times before her death, sometime around 1825.
In 1826, Frederick was sent to live with Lucretia Auld and Thomas Auld. The couple decided Fred should live with Hugh Auld, Thomas’ brother, who lived in Baltimore with his wife Sophie at the time.
When Fred arrived in Baltimore, Sophia ensured he was clothed and fed correctly. She ensured he didn’t get the same harsh treatment he had formerly experienced.
Fred described her as a kind and compassionate woman who treated him the way she knew a human should treat other humans. Her attitude toward him differed from what he had experienced in other places, where he was treated like an animal without compassion and empathy.
Douglass was ecstatic about living in the city, and this was because, compared to those in the plantations, enslaved people in the town were almost freemen. His relocation brought him great joy because it meant that, to some extent, he had a chance to become whatever he wanted to be.
Fred’s stay with Sophie and her husband Hugh later ignited the little boy’s desire for freedom. When he was about 12, Sophie decided it would be nice for him to learn the alphabet and how to read. She began teaching him, but her husband was against it, lecturing her that it would encourage enslaved people to seek freedom.
Although Fred was a young boy, he finally figured out the pathway from slavery to freedom. He knew that knowledge was the means to get free and decided to give his all to education.
Although Sophie never let him near any books and even stopped teaching him, Fred never gave up. He learned how to read from white kids in his neighborhood.
From the newspapers and books he read, he understood a lot about freedom and human rights, which was the beginning of a new era for him.
Frederick Douglass Wife
Frederick met and fell in love with Anna Murray in 1837. At the time, she was a free black woman but was five years older than him. Because Murray was a free woman, Frederick’s enthusiasm for freedom became heated. He put his all into trying to gain his freedom, and Murray supported him in all ways she could, including financially.
Fred, on many occasions, tried to run away and get free but failed. On September 3, 1838, Fred finally escaped on a northbound train.
Murray followed Frederick to New York, where they married on September 15, 1838.
What is Frederick Douglass Most Famous For?
Frederick Douglass was famous for his Oratory and incisive antislavery writings. He was a masterful Orator who captured listeners’ ears throughout Great Britain and the United States of America.
What Did Frederick Douglass Do To Abolish Slavery?
Fred gave notable speeches about his life story and protested against segregated transportation. At that time, the government didn’t allow people of color in the same segment as the uncolored.
Despite being beaten up by an angry mob in Indiana, Fred supported the American Anti-slavery Society.
Using $500 contributed by English supporters, Fred started publishing the first editions of his abolitionist newspaper, the North Star. Through this means, his massage was able to reach people almost everywhere.
Moreso, Fred and his wife provided housing for more than four hundred escaped enslaved people, providing them with food, clothing, and other needed resources.
It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.
— Vala Afshar (@ValaAfshar) December 6, 2022
—Fredrick Douglass pic.twitter.com/Bk8QilTsCw
What Was Frederick Douglass’s Childhood like?
Frederick’s childhood wasn’t a very fun one. He was born into slavery to a white father and a black mother. His father never identified with him, nor did he get to spend enough time with his mother.
Because separating infants from their mothers was common where he was born, Fred didn’t spend much time with his mother.
He went to live with Hugh Auld years later, and this was where he learned how to read and write. At 15, he tried to escape from slavery but failed severally.
Eventually, he learned to read from the white kids in his neighborhood, which was his pathway to freedom.
Frederick Douglass Achievements
- Fred published many best-seller books and was involved in the spread of human rights.
- In 1899, he became the first African-American to be memorialized in America.
- Douglass received the first post-humorous degree offered by the University of Rochester.
He is known as the most influential man of the nineteenth century.
Frederick Douglass Height and Weight
According to NYTIMES, Frederick was a tall man who stood 6 feet tall and weighed about 200 pounds.
Frederick Douglass Net Worth
When he died, Frederick Douglass had a net worth of $50,000. However, as of 2022, that number has increased to between $1.5 million and $5 million.
Frederick Douglass Social Media
Fred has no social media accounts and didn’t exist during his era.