Copyright 2011Young American Heroes, LLC

To learn more about Frederick Douglass,see a time line of his life, create your own graphic novel,and to find out about other young American heroes, go to

www.youngamericanheroes.comFrederick DouglassPathway From Slavery to Freedom

Few people achieve in a lifetime whatyoung Frederick Douglass achieved bythe age of 20. Young American Heroesset out to cover his young life, based onhis autobiography, Narrative of the Lifeof Frederick Douglass, An AmericanSlave Written by Himself. The resultingEmmy Award-winning TV show, class-room curriculum, this graphic novel, and2.0 website focus on his life from thetime of his birth into slavery in Marylandthrough his escape to the North.

This graphic novel is adapted from thepublic television program FrederickDouglass: Pathway From Slavery toFreedom, starring Jamie Hector.

The Young American Heroes project is designed to bringAmerican History to life for middle school students. Inaddition to graphic novels and half-hour television shows,Young American Heroes produces classroom DVDs andmiddle school social studies curricula, interactive web-sites, and soon will release mobile apps.

Frederick DouglassPathway From Slavery to Freedom

Frederick Douglass was an Americanabolitionist, editor, orator, author, statesman

and reformer. He is one of the most prominentfigures in African American history and an

influential public presence.

Design and layout: Mark Hastings, Editor: Deborah A. Weingrad,Copy: Jim Campbell

Produced for Young American Heroes, LLC by Palace Studios,South Norwalk, CT

Our special thanks to the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American Historyfor access to their extensive library of Frederick Douglass materials.

Frederick Douglass (bornFrederick Augustus Washington Bailey,February 1818 - February 20, 1895) wasan American social reformer, orator,writer and statesman. After escapingslavery, he became a leader of the aboli-tionist movement, gaining renown for hisdazzling oratory and incisive antislaverywriting. He stood as a living counter-example to slaveholders' argumentsthat slaves did not have the intellectualcapacity to function as independentAmerican citizens. He became a majorspeaker for the cause of abolition.

Douglass was a firm believer in theequality of all people, whether black,female, Native American or recent immi-grant. He was fond of saying, "I would(unite) with anybody to do right and withnobody to do wrong."

5

I WAS BORN IN TALBOT COUNTY, MARYLAND.I HAVE NO ACCURATE KNOWLEDGE OF MY AGE.

BY FAR THE LARGER PART OF THE SLAVES KNOW ASLITTLE OF THEIR AGES AS HORSES KNOW OF THEIRS,AND IT IS THE WISH OF MOST MASTERS WITHIN MYKNOWLEDGE TO KEEP THEIR SLAVES THUS IGNORANT.

76

MY MOTHER WAS NAMED HARRIET BAILEY. MYFATHER WAS A WHITE MAN. THE OPINION WAS ALSOWHISPERED THAT MY MASTER WAS MY FATHER.

BEFORE I WAS OLD ENOUGH TOWORK IN THE FIELD, I HAD AGREAT DEAL OF LEISURE TIME.

I WAS SELDOM WHIPPED BY MY OLD MASTERAND SUFFERED LITTLE FROM ANY THING ELSETHAN HUNGER AND COLD. I SUFFERED MUCHFROM HUNGER BUT MUCH MORE FROM COLD.

IN HOTTEST SUMMER AND COLDESTWINTER, I WAS KEPT ALMOST NAKED.OUR FOOD WAS COARSE CORN MEALBOILED. THIS WAS CALLED MUSH.

98

I HAD SIBLINGS, BUT I NEVER KNEW THEM.MY MOTHER DIED WHEN I WAS ABOUTSEVEN YEARS OLD.

I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO BE PRESENTDURING HER ILLNESS, AT HER DEATH ORBURIAL. NEVER HAVING ENJOYED, TO ANYCONSIDERABLE EXTENT HER SOOTHINGPRESENCE, HER TENDER AND WATCHFULCARE, I RECEIVED THE TIDINGS OF HERDEATH WITH MUCH THE SAME EMOTIONSI SHOULD HAVE PROBABLY FELT AT THEDEATH OF A STRANGER.

SLAVE OWNERS KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS NEEDEDTO PERPETUATE THEIR TERRIBLE SYSTEM.

LLOYD PLANTATION

THE FIRST RULE -- DESTROY ALLVESTIGES OF HUMANITY AND MOSTIMPORTANTLY, A SENSE OF FAMILY.SLAVERY WAS DESIGNED SO WE WEREONLY BEHOLDEN TO OUR MASTERS, NOTOUR FAMILY.

WE HAD NO FAMILY IN THEIREYES – AND THEN THEYMOSTLY MADE IT SO, RIPPINGME FROM MY MOTHER,SELLING MY BROTHER ANDSISTERS TO OTHER OWNERS.THERE WERE, OF COURSE,OTHER ELEMENTS REQUIREDFOR SOMETHING ASUNNATURAL AND HORRIFIC ASSLAVERY TO LAST FOR 250YEARS IN AMERICA.

THE NEXT WAS SOMETHING I LEARNED ABOUT ALL TOO SOON.

1110

I REMEMBER THE FIRSTTIME I EVER WITNESSEDA WHIPPING.

I WAS QUITE A CHILD BUTI WELL REMEMBER IT.

YOU ARE NEVER,EVER TO LEAVE

AGAIN!UNDERSTAND!?

IT WAS THE FIRST OF A LONG SERIES OF SUCHOUTRAGES, OF WHICH I WAS DOOMED TO BE AWITNESS AND A PARTICIPANT.

IT STRUCK ME WITHAWFUL FORCE.

IT WAS THE BLOOD STAINED GATE,

THE ENTRANCE TO THE HELL OF SLAVERY,

THROUGH WHICH I WAS ABOUT TO PASS.

1312

BALTIMORE

A FEW MONTHS AFTER MY AUNTHESTER WAS SO BRUTALIZED, ISET OFF ON A VOYAGE THATFOREVER CHANGED ME.

MY MASTER SENT ME TO BALTIMORE TO LIVE WITH HISBROTHER, HUGH AULD. I HAD A JOB TO DO -- HOUSEWORK FOR MY NEW MISTRESS, SOPHIE AULD AND LOOKAFTER THOMAS, THEIR YOUNG SON. AS BEST I CANRECOLLECT, I WAS JUST EIGHT YEARS OLD.

IT WAS IN BALTIMORE THAT MYFORTUNE CHANGED AND MYEDUCATION BEGAN. MY LIFEWAS NEVER THE SAME AGAIN.

1514

VERY SOON AFTER IWENT TO LIVE WITHTHE AULDS, MRS.AULD COMMENCED TOTEACH ME THE ABCS.

AFTER I HAD LEARNED THIS, SHE ASSISTED ME INLEARNING TO SPELL WORDS OF THREE OR FOURLETTERS. SHE WAS UNLIKE ANY WHITE WOMAN IHAD EVER KNOWN.

BLISSFULLY FOR ME, SHE HAD NOT YETBEEN POISONED AT THE WELL OFSLAVERY AND BELIEVED THAT EVERYCHILD DESERVED AN EDUCATION.

THAT WAS BEFORE HER HUSBANDDISCOVERED OUR LESSONS.

SLAVES AREPROPERTY, LIKE AHORSE... ONLYOWNERS USUALLYTREAT HORSESBETTER. BUT MR.AULD WAS RIGHTABOUT ONE THING:THE DANGER OFEDUCATING ASLAVE.

...REMEMBER, I TOLD YOU ABOUT TWO PRACTICESTHAT WERE CRITICAL TO THE CONTINUED EXISTENCEOF SLAVERY AS AN INSTITUTION IN THIS COUNTRY?

A WORDPLEASE.NOW.

AND JUST WHATDO YOU THINK

YOU'RE DOING!?

I WAS TEACHINGTHE BOY HOW TO

READ AND...

YOU WILL TEACHTHAT BOY

NOTHING, EXCEPTHOW TO OBEY USAND DO AS HE'S

TOLD!

1716

THE THIRD AND MOST CRUCIAL DEPREDATION WAS TO DENY SLAVES ANEDUCATION, BECAUSE AN EDUCATED SLAVECAN OVERCOME THE ISOLATION AND PAINCAUSED BY THE FIRST TWO PRACTICES...

AND ALSO GAIN THE SKILLS TO SECURE HIS FREEDOM.

BUT AULD WAS TOO LATE. FROM THATMOMENT I UNDERSTOOD THE PATHWAYFROM SLAVERY TO FREEDOM.

THOUGH CONSCIOUS OF THEDIFFICULTY OF LEARNINGWITHOUT A TEACHER I SETOUT WITH HIGH HOPE ANDFIXED PURPOSE AT WHATEVERCOST OF TROUBLE TO LEARNHOW TO READ. THAT WHICHTO HIM WAS A GREAT EVILWAS TO ME A GREAT GOODTO BE DILIGENTLY SOUGHT.

THE PLAN WHICH IADOPTED, AND THEONE BY WHICH I WASMOST SUCCESSFULWAS THAT OF MAKINGFRIENDS OF ALL THELITTLE WHITE BOYSWHOM I MET IN THESTREET.

AS MANY OF THESE AS I COULD,

...I CONVERTED INTOTEACHERS.

DON'T EVER LET ME CATCH YOUTRYING TO READ AGAIN, YOU HEAR!?

THAT'S NOT FOR YOUR KIND!NOT NOW! NOT EVER!

1918

ST. MICHAELS, MARYLAND

THE MORE I READ, THE MORE IWAS LED TO DETEST MYENSLAVERS. I COULD REGARDTHEM IN NO OTHER LIGHT THANA BAND OF SUCCESSFULROBBERS WHO HAD LEFT THEIRHOMES, AND GONE TO AFRICAAND STOLEN US FROM OURHOMES AND IN A STRANGE LANDFORCED US INTO SLAVERY.

I WOULD AT TIMES AGREE WITH MYMASTER THAT LEARNING TO READ HADBEEN A CURSE RATHER THAN A BLESSING. IT HAD GIVEN ME A VIEWOF MY WRETCHED CONDITION,WITHOUT THE REMEDY.

IT OPENED MY EYES TO THE TERRIBLE PIT,BUT TO NO LADDER UPON WHICH TO GET OUT.

AND SOON, THE DARK PIT OF SLAVERYWOULD GET DEEPER, MY YOUNG LIFEMORE DESPERATE. AFTER SEVEN YEARSIN BALTIMORE WITH THE AULDS, I WASSENT BACK TO MY MARYLAND PLANTATION,

AND SOON THEREAFTER BECAUSE OF MY UNWILLINGNESS TO BE APROPER, THAT IS A COOPERATIVE, SLAVE, I WAS CONTRACTED TOMR. EDWARD COVEY. HE WAS A PROFESSIONAL SLAVE BREAKER.

AND THERE IS NO MOREDETESTABLE HUMAN BEINGTHAN THAT…

2120

HE LASHED ME TILLHE HAD WORN OUT HISSWITCHES CUTTINGME SO SAVAGELY ASTO LEAVE THE MARKSVISIBLE FOR A LONGTIME AFTER.

THIS WHIPPING WASTHE FIRST OF ANUMBER LIKE IT.

I DID NOT, WHEN A SLAVE,UNDERSTAND THE DEEPMEANING OF THOSE SONGS.

THEY TOLD A TALE OF WOE WHICH WASTHEN ALTOGETHER BEYOND MY FEEBLECOMPREHENSION; THEY WERE TONESLOUD, LONG AND DEEP; THEY BREATHEDTHE PRAYER AND COMPLAINT OF SOULSBOILING OVER WITH THE BITTERESTANGUISH.

EVERY TONE WAS A TESTIMONY AGAINST SLAVERY ANDA PRAYER TO GOD FOR DELIVERANCE FROM CHAINS.

2322

THE COVEY'S FARM STOOD WITHIN A FEWRODS OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY WHOSEBROAD BOSOM WAS EVER WHITE WITHSAILS FROM EVERY QUARTER OF THEHABITABLE GLOBE.

THOSE BEAUTIFUL VESSELS,ROBED IN PUREST WHITE SODELIGHTFUL TO THE EYE OFFREEMEN WERE TO ME SO MANYSHROUDED GHOSTS, TO TERRIFYAND TORMENT ME WITHTHOUGHTS OF MY WRETCHEDCONDITION.

YOU MOVE MERRILY BEFORE THE GENTLE GALEAND I SADLY BEFORE THE BLOODY WHIP.

MR. COVEY SUCCEEDED IN BREAKINGME, I WAS BROKEN IN BODY, SOULAND SPIRIT.

MY NATURAL ELASTICITY WAS CRUSHED,MY INTELLECT LANGUISHED, THEDISPOSITION TO READ DEPARTED,THECHEERFUL SPARK THAT LINGERED ABOUTMY EYE DIED;

THE DARK NIGHT OF SLAVERY CLOSED INUPON ME; AND BEHOLD A YOUNG MANTRANSFORMED INTO A BRUTE.

BOY, I GOT APOWERFUL THIRST.

BRING ME SOMEWATER, NOW.

YESSIR,MASTUH….AM ACOMING, AM ACOMING RIGHT

NOW.

2524

YOU HAVE SEEN HOW A MAN WAS MADEA SLAVE; NOW YOU SHALL SEE HOW ASLAVE BECAME A MAN.

MR. COVEY SEEMED NOW TO THINK HE HADME, AND COULD DO WHAT HE PLEASED;

BUT AT THIS MOMENT --

FROM WHENCE CAME THESPIRIT I DON'T KNOW...

2726

WE WERE AT IT FOR TWO HOURS.

ARE YOU GOING TORESIST, YOUSCOUNDREL!?

YES SIR.

HUGHES! HELP!

2928

HE NEVER LAY AHAND ON ME AGAIN.

DO YOU MEAN TO PERSIST IN THISRESISTANCE, BOY!? DON'T YOU

KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO SLAVESTHAT RESIST ???

I DO.YOU'VE TREATED ME LIKE ABRUTE FOR THE LAST SIX

MONTHS, AND I WILL STAND ITNO LONGER!

NOW, GO TO WORK, YOUSCOUNDREL! I WOULD NOT

HAVE WHIPPED YOU HALF SOMUCH AS I HAVE HAD YOU NOT

RESISTED.

3130

THAT WAS TWO YEARS AGO.

THE BATTLE WITH MR. COVEYREKINDLED THE FEW EXPIRINGEMBERS OF FREEDOM ANDREVIVED WITHIN ME A SENSE OFMY OWN MANHOOD.

MY MASTER SENT ME BACK HERE TO BALTIMORETO WORK AGAIN FOR HUGH AULD...

3332

TRAIN STATION, SEPT. 3

HAVING ENDURED 20 YEARS OF SLAVERY, WITNESSEDCOUNTLESS HORRORS, I'M DETERMINED TO ESCAPESLAVERY'S BLOODY CHAINS THIS VERY DAY OR DIE TRYING.

GOD SPEED, FREDERICK.PRAISE BE TO GOD.

3534

THANK YOU,MA'AM.

YOU AREMOST

WELCOME...

THANK YOUSIR.

YOU'REWELCOME

SHOW ME YOURFREE PAPERS,

BOY!

YOU BETTER HAVETHE RIGHT PAPERS!DO I MAKE MYSELF

CLEAR, BOY?

TICKET ?

I NEED TOBUY ONE.....

I SUPPOSE YOUHAVE YOUR FREEPAPERS, YOUNG

SAILOR?

NO SIR, I NEVERCARRY MY FREEPAPERS TO SEA

WITH ME.

BUT SURELY, BEING ASAILOR FOR OUR

COUNTRY, YOU HAVESOMETHING TO SHOWYOU ARE A FREEMAN

HAVEN'T YOU?

YES SIR, I HAVE A PAPERWITH THE AMERICAN EAGLE

ON IT AND THAT WILLCARRY ME AROUND THE

WORLD.

3736

24 HOURS LATER IN NY CITY

FREDERICK DOUGLASS WALKS ALONG THE STREET,AMAZED AT THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF THE CITY.

HE STOPS TO READA POSTED SIGN.

A MOMENTARY PANIC,FREDERICK HAS BEEN SEENREADING BY THE AUTHORITIES!

IT DOESN'T MATTER...HE IS IN A FREESTATE WHERE BLACKS CAN BE SEENREADING AND DOING ANYTHING.

THIS IS A BIGCITY!

I CAN TASTEFREEDOM!

Frederick Douglass arrived in New YorkHarbor on September 4, 1838.

After his escape, he became arenowned abolitionist, writer and orator.

His first autobiography, Narrative of theLife of Frederick Douglass, AnAmerican Slave Written by Himself,which is the basis for this graphic novel,was published when Douglass was only27 years old.

During the Civil War, he was a friendand advisor to President AbrahamLincoln.

1818-1835Born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, a slave, in Tuckahoe, Talbot County,Maryland. Mother is a slave, Harriet Bailey, and father is a white man, rumored to be hismaster, Aaron Anthony. He had three older siblings, Perry, Sarah, and Eliza.

1836-1846Makes an escape plan but is discovered, jailed, and then released. He returns to work forHugh and Sophia Auld in Baltimore and is hired out to work as a caulker in a Baltimoreshipyard. The knowledge he gains there helps him escape slavery two years later.

1847-1859Returns from overseas tour; moves to Rochester, New York.With money raised by English and Irish friends, buys printing press and begins publishingthe abolitionist weekly North Star. He continues publishing it until 1851.

1860-1876Meets with Lincoln again. In case the war is not a total Union victory, Lincoln asksDouglass to prepare an effort to assist slaves escaping to the North.

1877-1895Douglass is appointed U.S. marshal of the District of Columbia by President Hayes.

Frederick Douglass Life Timeline

What makes a hero?

There are probably as many definitions of the word asthere are cultures or groups of people living together.

Throughout history, in every land, the heroeswere the mightiest warriors, the bravest explor-ers, and the most enlightened leaders. Heroicwarriors often had extraordinary skills orstrength. Heroic explorers were known for theirfearless courage and a passion for the unknown.In the case of great leaders, it was their strengthof character and determination to make some-thing happen that drew others to follow them andcall them heroes. And sometimes, a hero wasjust an ordinary person like you or me who foundhim or herself in extraordinary circumstances,and had to decide what to do.

All of these heroes held one or more things in common—a willingness to take risks, to step out of their comfortzone, and to make a difference in the world.

Importantly, in all of the old stories, power is not what ismost important. What is most important is how thatpower is used.

How do you know if someone is a hero?

In the world of myth, a hero is an individual who possess-es supernatural powers, as in the books and moviesabout Percy Jackson, the son of Poseidon, the Greekgod of the sea; or Harry Potter, who discovers he is awizard; or Luke Skywalker, who finds he has a secret,untapped power inherited from his parents.

In our own times, the idea of what makes a hero hasevolved. While we do still find heroism in the acts ofgreat warriors, explorers and leaders, just as often wesee it in everyday people who are thrust into events thatrequire a choice, a choice that requires bravery, andoften self-sacrifice. On the morning of January 16, 2009,

airline pilot Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, during a routine takeoff from aNew York airport, had to think and act quickly to land a crippled airplane in theHudson River when birds flew into the plane's engines. His heroic actions savedmore than a hundred lives. In 1952, Rosa Parks, a seamstress, chose not to giveup her seat to a white passenger on a segregated bus in the deep South. Thistoo was a heroic act, a quieter one, and it helped to spark one of the criticalmoments in the Civil Rights movement.

So, what does it mean to be a hero today? It means a willingness to meet achallenge and think and act quickly to save the day. It also means making apersonal sacrifice, however small, in order to make a difference.

Young American Heroes is dedicated to bringing the idea of heroism to life,through the true stories of young people in our own American history who wereheroes of their times. These are real people who found themselves in situationsthat challenged their very existence, and who, through their choices in how torespond to these circumstances, often made a mark on society. Whether it was aslave who escaped to freedom to become one of the great voices for abolition, ora girl who rode bravely through the night to warn colonists that the British werecoming, or a boy who went off to fight as a sol-dier in the Civil War, each of these young peoplerefused to sit back, powerless, as events aroundthem changed their world and their lives.Instead, they made a decision to act, to getinvolved, to make a difference, and in manycases, to help change the world. Sometimes,these actions made small differences that werehard to see at the time. That makes them noless heroic!

What makes a hero? Courage. Determination.Passion. A willingness to do something to helpothers or make a change, or maybe even acceptchange and make the most of it, despite greatodds. We all have the ability to make the world abetter place; none of us are powerless.

Young American Heroes is a set of stories—true stories—that show that nomatter what your circumstances, you can be a hero, you can make a difference.So ask yourself, who are the heroes in your life?

Susie King Taylor, nurse,Library of Congress

CongressionalMedal of Honor,Library of Congress

Eunice WilliamsExperience the Colonial era through the life of 7-year-oldEunice Williams, who became a Native American cap-tive, and then chose to stay with her captors

We hope that you will find the tales of these valiant young people notonly interesting but also inspirational. We hope that by reflecting onwhat it means to be a hero in different times throughout our history,you will be better able to think about what it means to be a hero intoday's world. And we hope that these stories will inspire us all tobetter understand our common past as we construct our commonfuture together.

To sign up for the Young American Heroes Newsletter, go towww.youngamericanheroes.com

Each of our Young American Heroes was a youngperson who made a difference. They were allordinary kids—real kids—who found themselvesdoing extraordinary things during importantmoments in American history.

This series will include true stories from every erain American history; stories of children duringColonial times and the Depression; stories fromthe Civil War and the battle for integration. Lookfor these four young heroes, coming soon:

Sybil LudingtonLive an exciting moment in the American Revolution with16-year-old Sybil Ludington, known as the female PaulRevere

The Sager ChildrenTravel the Oregon Trail with the seven orphaned Sagerchildren

Elisha StockwellWitness combat in the Civil War through the eyes of a15-year-old Union soldier, Elisha Stockwell