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Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) Most Important Time Period: 1828-1848

I, Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey (as I am known prior to my name change), was born in February of 1818 unto my slave mother, Harriet Bailey, and to an unknown white man (however Captain Aaron Anthony claimed me as his own). I grew up near Easton, Maryland under the care of my Grandmother and where I saw the cruelties of slavery, such as the whippings and beatings. I was wretched away from my Grandmother's arms in 1824 to live with Captain Aaron on the large plantation where he worked. 2 years later I was sent to Baltimore, Maryland and I lived with the in-laws of Captain Aaron's daughter. There, I was taught to read by Sophia Auld until her husband stopped it, in which I was forced to teach myself. In turn, I was forced to continue my education secretly by myself. When I was 15, I was forced into being a field-hand which was the most horrible work you could do as a slave. It was here I realized how slavery was a scar on the face of the American System.

I escaped slavery at the age of 20 and vowed to do all I could to end slavery. I attended many abolitionist meetings in my new home of New Bedford, Massachusetts and became a lecturer for the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society. After publishing an autobiography I fled to Europe to avoid being recaptured and turned the European Continents onto the idea of anti-slavery. My freedom was bought, and I received enough funds to start my own anti-slavery newspaper "The North Star" which brought people over to the side of Anti-Slavery. Shortly after, in 1848, I attended the first Women's Rights Rally in Seneca Falls and wrote in my newspaper about how women deserved the same rights as men.

Slaves were not allowed to be educated, so I used my paper to inform the white man about what was really happening with the slaves. Also, my voyage to Europe informed the people about what was happening in America and got them involved in the anti-slavery fight.

IN order to abolish slavery and give women equal rights, the government must, first and foremost, overturn any and all laws hindering the advancement of both said subjects. An anti-slavery law needs to be enacted also laws freeing women form their domestic prisons. Also, anti-harrasment laws should be placed to protect the (hopefully) freed blacks from white oppressors.

"Frederick Douglass." //Winning The Vote//. Rochester Regional Library Council, 2000. Web. 5 Oct 2010. .

"Biography of Frederick Douglass." //Frederick Douglass//. Fremarjo Enterprises Inc., 2004. Web. 5 Oct 2010. 