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Quick Facts
- NAME: Frederick Douglass
- OCCUPATION: Civil Rights Activist
- BIRTH DATE: c. February 1818
- DEATH DATE: February 20, 1895
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Tuckahoe, Maryland
- PLACE OF DEATH: Washington, D.C.
- Originally: Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey
Best Known For
Frederick Douglass, a former slave and eminent human rights leader in the abolition movement, was the first black citizen to hold a high U.S. government rank.
Videos see all videos
Frederick Douglass - Full Episode
Frederick Douglass escaped slavery in 1838 and used his talents as a writer and orator to fight for emancipation. Douglass edited an abolitionist newspaper, recruited black regiments during the Civil War, and advised President Lincoln.
Frederick Douglass - From Slave to Soldier
In 1863, Frederick Douglass enlists as a recruiting officer for an African American regiment in the Civil War. From "Biography: Frederick Douglass."
Frederick Douglass - Meet John Brown
In the 1850s, Frederick Douglass allied with a passionate white Abolitionist named John Brown, who became a powerful symbol to Douglass for the violent overthrow of the slave system.
Frederick Douglass - Impassioned Speaker
After testifying firsthand to the brutality of slavery at an American Anti-Slavery Society meeting in Nantucket, Frederick Douglass became an overnight success in the Abolitionist arena of public speaking.
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Play NowFrederick Douglass. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 06:02, May 24, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/frederick-douglass-9278324.
Frederick Douglass. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/frederick-douglass-9278324 [Accessed 24 May 2013].
"Frederick Douglass." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 24 2013, 06:02 http://www.biography.com/people/frederick-douglass-9278324.
"Frederick Douglass," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/frederick-douglass-9278324 [accessed May 24, 2013].
"Frederick Douglass," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/frederick-douglass-9278324 (accessed May 24, 2013).
Frederick Douglass [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 24] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/frederick-douglass-9278324.
Frederick Douglass, http://www.biography.com/people/frederick-douglass-9278324 (last visited May 24, 2013).
Frederick Douglass. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/frederick-douglass-9278324. Accessed May 24, 2013.
Their marriage caused considerable controversy, since Pitts was both white and nearly 20 years younger than Douglass. Douglass’ children were especially displeased with the relationship.
Frederick Douglass and Helen Pitts remained married until Douglass’ death, 11 years later. On February 20, 1895, Douglass attended a meeting of the National Council of Women in Washington, D.C. Shortly after returning home,
Contents
Frederick Douglass died of a massive heart attack or stroke. He was buried in Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester, New York.
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Famous Black Activists
View groupAfrican-Americans have a long history of activism in America, from fighting for the right to vote to pushing for integrated public spaces. Activists like Stokely Carmichael organized freedom rides, James Meredith fought to integrate blacks and whites at the University of Mississippi, and Rosa Parks instigated the Montgomery Bus Boycott. These protests were often legal and nonviolent, and made a powerful impact on civil rights in the United States. With the help of activists like these—and many others—the country slowly worked to acknowledge the basic rights and contributions of African-Americans. Activists outisde of the U.S. include Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela, who have fought against apartheid in South Africa. Learn more about the many black activists who fought against the odds in order to achieve equality.
Famous Black Activists 133 people in this group
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Famous Civil Rights Activists
View group"Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love." Stated by legendary civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., these words represent a basic human philosophy to which black history's greatest leaders have passionately subscribed. Learn more about the world's most revered civil rights activists, known for their fight against social injustices and lasting impact on the lives of black citizens, including Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Nelson Mandela, Nina Simone, Mary McLeod Bethune, Lena Horne, Marva Collins, Rosa Parks, W.E.B. Du Bois, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.
Famous Civil Rights Activists 156 people in this group
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Famous People Named Frederick
View groupTake a look at famous people named Frederick, such as Frederick Douglas Patterson, Frederick the Fair, and Frederick Fleet.
Famous People Named Frederick 12 people in this group
