Douglass was a runaway slave in the period before the Civil War. Once he found his way North, Douglass began to be an active member in the abolitionist movement. His eloquent speeches such as “The Meaning of the Fourth of July for the Negro” questioned the idea of “freedom” in a country that allowed slavery. The first picture is three years after that speech (1855) in which we see Fred in a youthful manner.
When the Civil War broke out Douglass was asked by the governor of Massachusetts to help recruit volunteers for first all Black group of soldiers. Two of his sons enlisted under the command of Colonel Robert Shaw. During Reconstruction Fred continued to speak against the injustices suffered by ex-slaves in the form of Black Codes. The second photo (1879) is the more recognizable image of Douglass. By this time slavery had long been abolished and Douglass widened his scope to include other social issues.
In the last shot (1885) we see him with his second wife Helen Pitts (far right) and her sister. Helen was a feminist and met Douglass when he was a part of theWomen’s Suffrage movement. She was twenty years younger and white, and some of her family disapproved of the marriage. The feminist Elizabeth Cady Stanton, friends of the couple, defended the marriage.
QUESTION:
When people talk about Frederick they usually limit the conversation to his abolitionist activity. As you just read he was involved with many movements throughout his life. What kind of example does this set for people that are trying to help change the world in small steps?
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