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Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass and Other Works
Born into slavery in Talbot County, Maryland, Frederick Douglass became a champion of the abolitionist movement after escaping to the North in 1838. Douglass later remarked upon his arrival in New York, ?I have often been asked how I felt when I first found myself on free soil. And my readers may share the same curiosity.OCO Readers did indeed share in this curiosity and Douglass became a much-admired orator and writer, active in both the abolitionist and the womenOCOs suffrage movements. Douglass is best remembered through his autobiography, "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass," "an American Slave," "Written By Himself." This, "My Bondage and My Freedom," and several of DouglassOCO speeches offer important glimpses into American history and are now available in a chic and affordable edition as part of the Word Cloud Classics series from Canterbury Classics.
This edition includes:
"The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass"
"My Bondage and My Freedom"
Reception Speech
Letter to His Old Master
The Nature of Slavery
Inhumanity of Slavery
What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?
The Internal Slave Trade,
The Slavery Party
The Anti-Slavery Movement"
This edition includes:
"The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass"
"My Bondage and My Freedom"
Reception Speech
Letter to His Old Master
The Nature of Slavery
Inhumanity of Slavery
What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?
The Internal Slave Trade,
The Slavery Party
The Anti-Slavery Movement"
440 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 19, 2014
5 people are currently reading
106 people want to read
About the author
Frederick Douglass
1,036 books1,682 followersFrederick Douglass (né Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey) was born a slave in the state of Maryland in 1818. After his escape from slavery, Douglass became a renowned abolitionist, editor and feminist. Having escaped from slavery at age 20, he took the name Frederick Douglass for himself and became an advocate of abolition. Douglass traveled widely, and often perilously, to lecture against slavery.
His first of three autobiographies, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave, was published in 1845. In 1847 he moved to Rochester, New York, and started working with fellow abolitionist Martin R. Delany to publish a weekly anti-slavery newspaper, North Star. Douglass was the only man to speak in favor of Elizabeth Cady Stanton's controversial plank of woman suffrage at the first women's rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848. As a signer of the Declaration of Sentiments, Douglass also promoted woman suffrage in his North Star. Douglass and Stanton remained lifelong friends.
In 1870 Douglass launched The New National Era out of Washington, D.C. He was nominated for vice-president by the Equal Rights Party to run with Victoria Woodhull as presidential candidate in 1872. He became U.S. marshal of the District of Columbia in 1877, and was later appointed minister resident and consul-general to Haiti. His District of Columbia home is a national historic site. D. 1895.
More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederic...
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1...
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/exhi...
http://www.loc.gov/collection/frederi...
http://www.nps.gov/frdo/index.htm
http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum/exhibits...
His first of three autobiographies, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave, was published in 1845. In 1847 he moved to Rochester, New York, and started working with fellow abolitionist Martin R. Delany to publish a weekly anti-slavery newspaper, North Star. Douglass was the only man to speak in favor of Elizabeth Cady Stanton's controversial plank of woman suffrage at the first women's rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848. As a signer of the Declaration of Sentiments, Douglass also promoted woman suffrage in his North Star. Douglass and Stanton remained lifelong friends.
In 1870 Douglass launched The New National Era out of Washington, D.C. He was nominated for vice-president by the Equal Rights Party to run with Victoria Woodhull as presidential candidate in 1872. He became U.S. marshal of the District of Columbia in 1877, and was later appointed minister resident and consul-general to Haiti. His District of Columbia home is a national historic site. D. 1895.
More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederic...
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1...
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/exhi...
http://www.loc.gov/collection/frederi...
http://www.nps.gov/frdo/index.htm
http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum/exhibits...
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 6, 2022
There are many notable places in the literary works of Frederick Douglass. One of the many remarks he has made that touched me deeply was his refusal to share the means of his escape from the slavery, in order to protect the others who might still uses the same way. Even when he was pressed to to so in order to prove that he was indeed a former slave. As a result of this necessity he has revealed many facts that have endangered his freedom, but kept shielding the others from any possible harm. Brilliant man and writer.
July 15, 2023
A beautiful autobiography showcasing the weight of freedom, the value of education and the ethics required to succeed in this life. Douglass tells of his experiences growing up as a slave in different areas around Maryland, sharing his perils and his inner-workings as he grows as a man, and continues to yearn for freedom. Along with his personal narrative, there are many other writings published by Douglass which are just as intriguing.
One of the most interesting themes in this book is Douglass’ consistent preaching on the value of hard work. Of all the people who may feel the desire to shy away from the value of work, Douglass may take the cake. Yet we see in many instances how valuable Douglass knows that hard work is to success. Part of this is seen in his own life, when he works day and night to have enough money available to fund his impending escape. Later on, he goes on a rant about how “industry” and hard work are absolutely indispensable to success. Douglass loves work, and he does not expect anyone to be given anything which is unearned. He believes that people who work hard should be compensated for their labor.
A quote in the prologue left quite an impression on me:
“There is in him that union of head and heart, which is indispensable to the enlightenment of the heads and a winning of the hearts of others.
Many people in this world have been brilliant. Another handful of individuals have been given the gift of lightheartedness and affability which attracts others through their natural positive pathos. Douglass is one of the very few who maintains both of these qualities. He spoke so eloquently and intelligently, yet with a very real consternation against the institution of slavery and intimate compassion for his fellow brothers and sisters still bound by chains. These qualities come out on every page as I am blown away by his intelligence and moved by his pleaing prose.
Douglass credits much of his quest for freedom to his literacy. Every chance that he could get he would find a way to learn just a little bit more about the alphabet and phonetics. As his brain became more and more enlightened with knowledge, the more intolerant he became of his situation in slavery. The institution of slavery was so successful in suppressing their slaves becasue the slave owners had become proficient in harboring the slaves’ ability to think critically and to understand what was going on around them. A slave owner would do almost anything in his power to withhold the slaves from learning in any form or fashion, because knowledge is power, as Douglass exemplifies in his autobiographical experience.
Douglass touches on the idea that he favored the irreligious slave owners over the religious ones. He often saw that the religious slave owners would use Scripture as a justification for their actions, giving them even more credence to their evil ways.
Douglass, later in his life, is prompted to give a speech to an audience on July 5th at an event commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The title of his speech was The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro. Douglass expounds on the subjects of freedom, slavery, and the irony of this holiday which signifies the freedom of America. Douglass does not shy away from tough issues and challenges the audience multiple times highlighting the hypocrisy ingrained within the celebration. “This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn,``says Douglass, which encapsulates the entire speech quite well.
Douglass is a hero. His autobiography is stirring and his speeches are very important. I am proud of the progress which has been made, and the bravery displayed by those who helped make this progress possible.
One of the most interesting themes in this book is Douglass’ consistent preaching on the value of hard work. Of all the people who may feel the desire to shy away from the value of work, Douglass may take the cake. Yet we see in many instances how valuable Douglass knows that hard work is to success. Part of this is seen in his own life, when he works day and night to have enough money available to fund his impending escape. Later on, he goes on a rant about how “industry” and hard work are absolutely indispensable to success. Douglass loves work, and he does not expect anyone to be given anything which is unearned. He believes that people who work hard should be compensated for their labor.
A quote in the prologue left quite an impression on me:
“There is in him that union of head and heart, which is indispensable to the enlightenment of the heads and a winning of the hearts of others.
Many people in this world have been brilliant. Another handful of individuals have been given the gift of lightheartedness and affability which attracts others through their natural positive pathos. Douglass is one of the very few who maintains both of these qualities. He spoke so eloquently and intelligently, yet with a very real consternation against the institution of slavery and intimate compassion for his fellow brothers and sisters still bound by chains. These qualities come out on every page as I am blown away by his intelligence and moved by his pleaing prose.
Douglass credits much of his quest for freedom to his literacy. Every chance that he could get he would find a way to learn just a little bit more about the alphabet and phonetics. As his brain became more and more enlightened with knowledge, the more intolerant he became of his situation in slavery. The institution of slavery was so successful in suppressing their slaves becasue the slave owners had become proficient in harboring the slaves’ ability to think critically and to understand what was going on around them. A slave owner would do almost anything in his power to withhold the slaves from learning in any form or fashion, because knowledge is power, as Douglass exemplifies in his autobiographical experience.
Douglass touches on the idea that he favored the irreligious slave owners over the religious ones. He often saw that the religious slave owners would use Scripture as a justification for their actions, giving them even more credence to their evil ways.
Douglass, later in his life, is prompted to give a speech to an audience on July 5th at an event commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The title of his speech was The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro. Douglass expounds on the subjects of freedom, slavery, and the irony of this holiday which signifies the freedom of America. Douglass does not shy away from tough issues and challenges the audience multiple times highlighting the hypocrisy ingrained within the celebration. “This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn,``says Douglass, which encapsulates the entire speech quite well.
Douglass is a hero. His autobiography is stirring and his speeches are very important. I am proud of the progress which has been made, and the bravery displayed by those who helped make this progress possible.
January 8, 2021
Douglass’s description of plantation life is horrifying. The way he describes societal pressures in the antebellum south is eerie and familiar. His escape and hopefulness for the future is inspiring
on-hold-nonfic
July 14, 2022Status: have only read the chapter Letter too His Old Master (p. 387-94).
October 6, 2025
Powerful story of a man born into slavery and how he found freedom and become a prominent African-American figure in their fight for civil rights.
May 6, 2017
Frederick Douglass authored "Narrative of the Life and Other Writings" between 1845 and 1891. The writings I read were published by Borders Classics and placed under copyright by Ann Arbor Media in 2003. Frederick Douglass is a great author. His observations about race relations and social justice are as relevant today as they were in the 1840's. This is an important book to have in a personal library and a great companion book to the recently published "Underground Railroad" by Colson Whitehead in 2016. (P)
August 7, 2019
compelling narration with insightful reflection. inspiring to read about the power of literacy as a means of liberation. although written from an earlier age, the narration is fluent, engaging, and eloquent.
February 12, 2017
Phenomenal book. Phenomenal writer. This collection is especially nice because it includes letters that he wrote, which provide additional context to his amazing skill and intellect.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews