Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass was a formerly enslaved man who became a prominent activist, author, and public speaker.
Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey
Activist
February 14, 1818
Aquarius
February 20, 1895
77
Near Easton, Maryland
Frederick Douglass, once an enslaved man, rose to prominence as a notable activist, author, and public speaker. He gained fame through his first autobiography, “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave,” which chronicled his experiences in slavery. As a leader in the abolitionist movement, Douglass was renowned for his eloquent speeches and antislavery writings, including his abolitionist newspaper “The North Star” and speeches such as “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” and “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro.” Apart from his literary contributions, Douglass held various public offices and championed women’s suffrage.
An intriguing aspect of Frederick Douglass’s life is that he was the first African American to be nominated for Vice President of the United States in 1872. The Equal Rights Party nominated him as Victoria Woodhull’s running mate, but despite not actively campaigning for the position, the ticket garnered very few votes.