The Legacy of Frederick The Legacy of Frederick DouglasssDouglasss

Karen JacobsKaren Jacobs

Morgan Road Middle SchoolMorgan Road Middle School

3635 Hiers Blvd.3635 Hiers Blvd.

Hephzibah, GA 30815Hephzibah, GA 30815

In the Beginning…In the Beginning… Frederick Augustus Frederick Augustus

Washington Bailey was Washington Bailey was born a slave in Talbot born a slave in Talbot County, Maryland in County, Maryland in February 1818. His February 1818. His mother Harriet Bailey mother Harriet Bailey was a slave; his father was a slave; his father was probably Aaron was probably Aaron Anthony, the general Anthony, the general plantation plantation superintendent for the superintendent for the Lloyd plantation, where Lloyd plantation, where Douglasss spent his Douglasss spent his early childhood.early childhood.

Later on …Later on …

When Douglasss was eight, he was When Douglasss was eight, he was sent to Baltimore to live with and sent to Baltimore to live with and work for the Auld family. There he work for the Auld family. There he learned an important lesson about learned an important lesson about the relationship of reading and the relationship of reading and writing to freedom. Douglasss writing to freedom. Douglasss taught himself how to read and write taught himself how to read and write with the help of his master’s wife and with the help of his master’s wife and local white children.local white children.

As he grew olderAs he grew older……

At the age of sixteen, in January At the age of sixteen, in January 1834, he was hired out to Edward 1834, he was hired out to Edward Covey, a notorious ”Negro Breaker.” Covey, a notorious ”Negro Breaker.” Up to this point he had lived either as Up to this point he had lived either as a house or urban slave. Now he a house or urban slave. Now he became a field hand and for the first became a field hand and for the first time in his life he was regularly time in his life he was regularly whipped and his spirit almost broken.whipped and his spirit almost broken.

Slavery yearsSlavery years…… Later on, he worked Later on, he worked

for another master, for another master, the kindly William the kindly William Freeland. Still, all Freeland. Still, all Frederick wanted was Frederick wanted was his freedom. He his freedom. He started an illegal started an illegal “school” for blacks in “school” for blacks in the area that secretly the area that secretly met at night and on met at night and on Sundays. With five Sundays. With five other slaves, he began other slaves, he began to plan his escape to to plan his escape to the free states.the free states.

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They planned to steal a boat and row They planned to steal a boat and row it to the northern tip of Chesapeake it to the northern tip of Chesapeake Bay. Their escape was supposed to Bay. Their escape was supposed to take place before the Easter holiday take place before the Easter holiday of 1836, however, one of his of 1836, however, one of his associates exposed the plot and a associates exposed the plot and a group of armed white men captured group of armed white men captured the slaves and jailed them.the slaves and jailed them.

Following the North Star…Following the North Star… In his spare time, he met with a group of In his spare time, he met with a group of

educated students and formed an educational educated students and formed an educational association called the East Baltimore Mental association called the East Baltimore Mental Improvement Society. While being admitted he Improvement Society. While being admitted he learned his debating skills. One of the learned his debating skills. One of the meetings, he met a free black woman named meetings, he met a free black woman named Anna Murray. She was a plain and uneducated. Anna Murray. She was a plain and uneducated. He admired her qualities of thriftiness, He admired her qualities of thriftiness, industrious and religious. The fell in love and industrious and religious. The fell in love and was married in 1838. They had five children. was married in 1838. They had five children. After the death of his first wife . He married his After the death of his first wife . He married his former secretary, Helen Pitts, a white woman former secretary, Helen Pitts, a white woman from Rochester, NY.from Rochester, NY.

Working towards his freedom…Working towards his freedom…

Frederick tried to escape once more from Frederick tried to escape once more from Thomas Auld. Auld promised him if he Thomas Auld. Auld promised him if he worked hard he would be freed when he worked hard he would be freed when he turned 25. However, escaping would be turned 25. However, escaping would be very difficult due to professional slave very difficult due to professional slave catchers patrolling the borders between catchers patrolling the borders between slave states and free slaves, and free slave states and free slaves, and free blacks traveling by train or steamboat blacks traveling by train or steamboat had to carry official papers listing their had to carry official papers listing their namesnames

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name, age, height, name, age, height, skin color, and skin color, and their distinguishing their distinguishing features. In order features. In order to escape, to escape, Frederick needed Frederick needed money to pay for money to pay for his traveling.his traveling.

From Slave to Abolitionist/Editor…From Slave to Abolitionist/Editor…

Douglass become involved in the Douglass become involved in the abolitionist movement, regularly abolitionist movement, regularly attending lectures in New Bedford. The attending lectures in New Bedford. The American Anti-slavery Society, of which American Anti-slavery Society, of which he was a member, had been formed in he was a member, had been formed in 1833. Most of the leaders in the society 1833. Most of the leaders in the society were white, and black abolitionist were white, and black abolitionist sometimes had a difficult time making sometimes had a difficult time making their voices heard within the movementtheir voices heard within the movement

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He served as a preacher at the Zion He served as a preacher at the Zion Methodist Church. One of the many Methodist Church. One of the many issues he became involved in was issues he became involved in was the battle against attempts by white the battle against attempts by white southerners to force blacks to move southerners to force blacks to move to Liberia.to Liberia.

Important Dates to Remember…Important Dates to Remember…

1847 Prints The North Star1847 Prints The North Star 1848 Attends the women’s rights 1848 Attends the women’s rights

conventionconvention 1850 Involved in the Underground 1850 Involved in the Underground

RailroadRailroad 1870 The 151870 The 15thth Amendment is adopted Amendment is adopted 1874 Becomes President of the 1874 Becomes President of the

Freedman’s Savings and Trust, U.S.Freedman’s Savings and Trust, U.S. 1877 U.S. Marshal1877 U.S. Marshal

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1880 Recorder of Deeds for Washington, 1880 Recorder of Deeds for Washington, DCDC

1895 Dies in Washington, DC1895 Dies in Washington, DC