His mother, who was an intermittent presence in his life, died when he was around 10.įrederick Douglass Collection of the National Museum of African American History and Cultureĭefying a ban on teaching slaves to read and write, Baltimore slaveholder Hugh Auld’s wife Sophia taught Douglass the alphabet when he was around 12. At a young age, Douglass was selected to live in the home of the plantation owners, one of whom may have been his father. As was often the case with slaves, the exact year and date of Douglass' birth are unknown, though later in life he chose to celebrate it on February 14.ĭouglass initially lived with his maternal grandmother, Betty Bailey. Early Lifeįrederick Augustus Washington Bailey was born around 1818 into slavery in Talbot County, Maryland. He became one of the most famous intellectuals of his time, advising presidents and lecturing to thousands on a range of causes, including women’s rights and Irish home rule.Īmong Douglass’ writings are several autobiographies eloquently describing his experiences in slavery and his life after the Civil War, including the well-known work Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. Abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass was born into slavery sometime around 1818 in Talbot County, Maryland.
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