Why is Frederick Douglass important in history?

Douglass was one of the first great African-American public intellectuals, who not only shaped the discourse about slavery and black life in America, but also came to represent the indomitable spirt of those who fought slavery and stood up against oppression. Douglass escaped from slavery at the age of 20, fled to Massachusetts, where in 1845 he penned his seminal autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. 

That book, which vividly described the circumstances and psychological toll of his enslavement, became not just a best-selling memoir, but also a rallying cry against the institution of slavery. Having written the book, Douglass became a staple of the abolition movement's national speaking tour, following William Lloyd Garrison and other prominent abolitionist intellectuals around the country to convince ordinary Americans that slavery was not only unjust, but a bad policy for the country.

During and directly after the Civil War, Douglass became a close adviser and confidante to Abraham Lincoln, becoming the first African-American to be invited to stay at the White House. Douglass's passion for justice also led him to take up the fight for Women's Suffrage, along with Elizabeth Cady Stanton, whom he accompanied to the famous Seneca Falls Convention on Women's Rights in 1848. 

Once the Civil War was over, Douglass became the first black American to be appointed to a federal post, when during Reconstruction, he served as President of the Freedman's Savings Bank. Subsequently, Douglass served as head of the diplomatic mission for United States Embassy in the Dominican Republic, and later served as a minister in Haiti's government. 

In 1872, Douglass became the first African American vice presidential nominee when he ran with Victoria Woodhull for the party of Equal Rights. Along with W.E.B. Dubois and George Washington Carver, Douglass was one of the first universally celebrated African American intellectuals, who helped to demonstrate to the country and the world that Black Americans had every bit as much intelligence, courage and integrity as the whites who had held a monopoly on power.

Who is Frederick Douglass in African American history?

Frederick Douglass is best known as the most famous African American abolitionist.  He was also active in the push for women’s rights.  After the Civil War, he turned his efforts to the cause of political rights for African Americans.  He is perhaps the best-known African American of the 19th century.

Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in Maryland in 1818.  He lived in slavery (most often in cities) until 1838.  In that year, he escaped from slavery by posing as a free black sailor.  Once in the north, Douglass sent for his wife (a free black woman).  He soon became involved in abolitionist activities.  This was how he became famous.  He soon found that he was a very effective orator and he came to dedicate his life to speaking against slavery.  In 1845, he wrote his autobiography, which continues to be a classic today.  Douglass also fought for women’s rights.  He attended the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 and spoke in favor of women’s suffrage at a time when the convention was divided on whether to pursue that goal.  After the Civil War, Douglass worked in various capacities, keeping his focus on African American rights.

Douglass is most important because he was the first major black figure in American society.  He was the first African American to really make a name for himself through his intellect and his speaking ability.  These were things that African Americans supposedly did not possess and so Douglass was a living testimony to the falseness of the racist ideas of the time.

Frederick Douglass is an important figure in American History and in African- American History.  His place in African- American History has to be in the upper echelon of important figures.  His place is one that represents the pain and suffering of slavery as well as the resistance and defiance that results from it.  Douglass lived in slavery and experienced it at its very worst.  He escaped and became a leading voice in the American abolitionist movement. Douglass' writings occupy central importance in both the historical progression of the American narrative and in the canon of American Literature.  It is in this regard where Douglass becomes such a seminal voice in American History and African- American History. He straddles the worlds of politics, literature, and history at a point where they were seen as separate entities.

In African- American History, Douglass represents the voice of the past speaking the condition of the present in hopes for the future. As so many voices were silenced by the condition of slavery, Douglass' voice was raised in objection to it.  He becomes a seminal figure for African- Americans of the time period as he is able to speak to the power of literacy and able to generate a sense of understanding that his condition is one that others might follow. The fact that he achieved freedom and then accepted great risk in speaking out against slavery, seeking to connect himself with a predicament from which he escaped is what makes him such a powerful figure and prominent force in African- American history. Douglass did not retreat into the world of privilege in his escaping slavery.  He actively campaigned for the rights of others.  His place in African- American History is one that forges connection and solidarity in the understanding of the past, construction of the present, and hope for the future.

What is an important fact about Frederick Douglass?

Frederick Douglass was an escaped slave in the nineteenth century who became famous for his writing, speaking, abolitionist activism, and political standing. It was his writing and oration that brought him the most renown and continue to be his most well-known legacy. It was both unusual and illegal for a slave to be literate, but Douglass was able to learn at the age of twelve. After successfully escaping slavery and establishing himself as a free man up North, this skill would be his most valuable. He started by speaking about abolitionism and civil rights (later the topics would expand to include women’s rights as well) for a small group, which brought enough interest to him that he was soon hired for speeches both in America and internationally. By 1845 he had written and published his first autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. He would write and publish two more autobiographies over the course of his life. In addition to the books, Douglass also wrote for and produced several newspapers about human rights and ending slavery. Beyond his writing and speaking, which he continued throughout his life, Douglass was also appointed to political office. This included a bank president position and two different ambassador positions in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Though he did not ultimately win, Frederick Douglass was also the first African American to be on a ballot as a vice presidential candidate. Frederick Douglass was a hugely influential figure in abolitionism whose works remain relevant today.