Abolitionist · 1818 – 1895
Frederick Douglass
Escaped slavery and became a leading abolitionist orator and editor, wrote a landmark autobiography that galvanized the antislavery cause, advised President Lincoln, and campaigned for the rights of Black Americans and women.
Political Achievements
- Became the most prominent abolitionist orator and writer in the United States.
- Published the antislavery newspaper The North Star.
- Advised President Lincoln and held federal offices after the Civil War.
Major Works
- Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave (1845)
- My Bondage and My Freedom (1855)
Impact Analysis
Douglass put the testimony of the formerly enslaved at the heart of the antislavery cause, proving by his own eloquence the falsehood of slavery's defenders.
Historical influence score: 84/100