Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass was one of easily one of, if not the most, recognized African American journalist in the 19^th century. His claim to fame is his newspapers, which discuss the topics of freedom and equal rights. Douglass wanted to prove society wrong by being a former slave transformed into a successful writer.

The famous journalist was born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey in the early 1800's (year unknown) to a slave woman and a white male. At a young age he was sent to do slave work in Baltimore. Over the years he learned to read and write through observation and learning from the white children in his neighborhood. At the age of 20, he escaped slavery and changed his name to Frederick Douglass in fear of being arrested.

After attending abolitionist meetings in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Douglass was asked to speak at an antislavery meeting. This speech was then published in The Liberator, an abolitionist newspaper. In 1841, he was employed as an antislavery speaker for the Massachusetts Antislavery Society.

Douglass published his first of three autobiographies in 1845, titled Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. My Bondage and My Freedom was published in 1855 followed by Life and Times of Frederick Douglass in 1881 which was later revised in 1892.

 Douglass also traveled Europe, speaking out about slavery and abolition. When he returned, The North Star was published. This was Douglass's first newspaper, which featured his own editorials and essays and poetry by both black and white abolitionists. Throughout the mid to late 1800's, Douglass also published Frederick Douglass' Paper, Douglass' Monthly and New National Era. All of the newspapers spoke out against slavery and promoted equality among all people. 

Frederick Douglass did not only impact the journalism world, but also U.S. history as a whole. Being a civil rights activist and former slave, Douglass further encouraged other abolitionists to move forward and fight for equal rights.