Abolitionist · 1818 – 1895
Frederick Douglass
Little-Known Facts
- He taught himself to read and write while enslaved, against the law of the time.
- He was one of the most photographed Americans of the 19th century, using his image to assert Black dignity.
Myths & Misconceptions
Was Frederick Douglass born free?
No — he was born into slavery in Maryland and escaped to freedom in 1838, after which he became a leading abolitionist.