Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass

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Overview

Frederick Douglass was born into slavery as Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey in Maryland. As a young boy he was sent to Baltimore, to be a house servant, where he learned to read and write, with the assistance of his master's wife. In 1838 he escaped from slavery and went to New York City, where he married Anna Murray, a free colored woman whom he had met in Baltimore. Soon thereafter he changed his name to Frederick Douglass. In 1841 he addressed a convention of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society in Nantucket and so greatly impressed the group that they immediately employed him as an agent. He was such an impressive orator that numerous persons doubted if he had ever been a slave, and he wrote this classic book about his life story.

Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble
A century and a half after its first publication, Frederick Douglass's Narrative retains its hold on us, capturing us with its first-person story of the abolitionist's passage from bondage to freedom.
Sacred Life

When it was first published, many critics doubted that The Narrative of the Life and Times of Frederick Douglass had even been written by Frederick Douglass. As odd as it may seem now, that criticism was not completely unfounded: In the mid-nineteenth century, the antislavery movement produced hundreds of slave narratives, many of them ghostwritten by white abolitionists and tailored to create sympathy for their movement. But this book, by this remarkable man, was different. The tag line at the end of the book&#39s subtitle&#8212Written by Himself &#8212was vitally important. Although clearly written with the abolitionist cause in mind, this book is not merely a political tract. True, its dispassionate prose brought to light the "injustice, exposure to outrage, and savage barbarity" of slavery as Douglass observed and experienced But also brought to life an uncommon man and the particular concerns seared into him during his experience of bondage. Douglass recounts that during slavery, he and his people were denied life&#39s fundamentals: faith, family, education, the capacity for bold action, a sense of community, and personal identity. Douglass saw reclamation of these things as the key to his and his people&#39s survival, redemption, and salvation.

The autobiography opens with a description of the aspects of his own life that Douglass was never allowed to know: the identity of his father, the warmth and care of his mother (who was a stranger to him), and even the fact of his own date of birth. As a child, he suffered from and observed savage beatings firsthand, including the fierce beating of his Aunt Hester at the hands of their master, Captain Aaron Anthony. As he grew older, Douglass liberated himself in stages: mentally, spiritually, and, eventually, physically. His mental freedom began when he was taught to read and write and realized the power of literacy; his spiritual freedom came when he discovered the grace of Christianity and the will to resist his beatings; his physical freedom arrived when he finally escaped to the North.

After escaping, Douglass was committed to telling the world about the condition of the brothers and sisters he left behind. Aside from telling Douglass&#39s personal story, his autobiography takes us to the fields and the cabins and the lives of many slaves to reveal the real human cost of slavery. Douglass focused on the dehumanizing aspects of slavery: not just the beatings, but the parting of children from their mothers, the denial of education, and the sexual abuses of slave masters. He ends the book with this statement: "Sincerely and earnestly hoping that his little book may do something toward throwing light on the American slave system, and hastening the glad day of deliverance to the millions of my brethren in bonds&#8212faithfully relying upon the power of truth, love, and justice, for success in my humble efforts&#8212and solemnly pledging myself anew to the sacred cause, I subscribe myself, Frederick Douglass."

The book was an incredible success: It sold over thirty thousand copies and was an international bestseller. It was the first, and most successful, of three autobiographies that Douglass was to write. The other two, My Bondage and My Freedom (1855) and The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass, update the story of his life and revise some of the facts of his earlier autobiography.

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9781475177855
  • Publisher: CreateSpace
  • Publication date: 4/21/2012
  • Pages: 102
  • Sales rank: 63,024
  • Product dimensions: 0.24 (w) x 6.00 (h) x 9.00 (d)

Meet the Author

Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass

Robert B. Stepto is Professor of English, African American Studies, and American Studies at Yale University. He is the author of From Behind the Veil: A Study of Afro-American Narrative.

Biography

Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey was born a slave in Tuckahoe, Maryland, in February 1818. He became a leading abolitionist and women's rights advocate and one of the most influential public speakers and writers of the nineteenth century.

Frederick's mother, Harriet Bailey, was a slave; his father was rumored to be Aaron Anthony, manager for the large Lloyd plantation in St. Michaels, Maryland, and his mother's master. Frederick lived away from the plantation with his grandparents, Isaac and Betsey Bailey, until he was six years old, when he was sent to work for Anthony.

When Frederick was eight, he was sent to Baltimore as a houseboy for Hugh Auld, a shipbuilder related to the Anthony family through marriage. Auld's wife, Sophia, began teaching Frederick to read, but Auld, who believed that a literate slave was a dangerous slave, stopped the lessons. From that point on, Frederick viewed education and knowledge as a path to freedom. He continued teaching himself to read; in 1831 he bought a copy of The Columbian Orator, an anthology of great speeches, which he studied closely.

In 1833 Frederick was sent from Auld's relatively peaceful home back to St. Michaels to work in the fields. He was soon hired out to Edward Covey, a notorious "slave-breaker" who beat him brutally in an effort to crush his will. However, on an August afternoon in 1934, Frederick stood up to Covey and beat him in a fight. This was a turning point, Douglass has said, in his life as a slave; the experience reawakened his desire and drive for liberty.

In 1838 Frederick Bailey escaped from slavery by using the papers of a free seaman. He traveled north to New York City, where Anna Murray soon joined him. Later that year, Frederick and Anna married and moved to New Bedford, Massachusetts. Though settled in the North, Frederick was a fugitive, technically still Auld's property. To protect himself, he became Frederick Douglass, a name inspired by a character in Sir Walter Scott's poem Lady of the Lake.

Douglass began speaking against slavery at abolitionist meetings and soon gained a reputation as a brilliant orator. In 1841 he began working full-time as an abolitionist lecturer, touring with one of the leading activists of the day, William Lloyd Garrison.

Douglass published his first autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, in 1845. The book became an immediate sensation and was widely read both in America and abroad. Its publication, however, jeopardized his freedom by exposing his true identity. To avoid capture as a fugitive slave, Douglass spent the next several years touring and speaking in England and Ireland. In 1846, two friends purchased his freedom. Douglass returned to America, an internationally renowned abolitionist and orator.

Douglass addressed the first Women's Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848. This began his long association with the women's rights movement, including friendships with such well-known suffragists as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

During the mid-1840s Douglass began to break ideologically from William Lloyd Garrison. Whereas Garrison's abolitionist sentiments were based in moral exhortation, Douglass was coming to believe that change would occur through political means. He became increasingly involved in antislavery politics with the Liberty and Free-Soil Parties. In 1847 Douglass established and edited the politically oriented, antislavery newspaper the North Star.

During the Civil War, President Lincoln called upon Douglass to advise him on emancipation issues. In addition, Douglass worked hard to secure the rights of blacks to enlist; when the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteers was established as the first black regiment, he traveled throughout the North recruiting volunteers. Mo< Douglass's governmental involvement extended far beyond Lincoln's tenure. He was consulted by the next five presidents and served as secretary of the Santo Domingo Commission (1871), marshal of the District of Columbia (1877-1881), recorder of deeds for the District of Columbia (1881-1886), and minister to Haiti (1889-1891). A year before his death Douglass delivered an important speech, "The Lessons of the Hour," a denunciation of lynchings in the United States.

On February 20, 1896, Frederick Douglass died of a heart attack. His death triggered an outpouring of grief and mourning; black schools in Washington, D.C. closed for a day, and thousands of children were taken to the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church to view his open casket. In his third autobiography, Douglass succinctly and aptly summarized his life; writing that he had "lived several lives in one: first, the life of slavery; secondly, the life of a fugitive from slavery; thirdly, the life of comparative freedom; fourthly, the life of conflict and battle; and fifthly, the life of victory, if not complete, at least assured."

Author biography from the Barnes & Noble Classics edition of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave.

Good To Know

Douglass's mother Harriet referred to Frederick as her "little Valentine," so he unofficially adopted February 14th as his birthday.

    1. Also Known As:
      Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey (birth name)
    2. Hometown:
      Tuckahoe, Maryland
    1. Date of Birth:
      1818
    1. Date of Death:
      February 20, 1895
    2. Place of Death:
      Washington, D.C.

Read an Excerpt

I have often been utterly astonished, since I came north, to find persons who could speak of the singing, among slaves, as evidence of their contentment and happiness. It is impossible to conceive of a greater mistake. Slaves sing most when they are most unhappy….Crying for joy, and singing for joy, were alike uncommon to me while in the jaws of slavery. The singing of a man cast away upon a desolate island might be as appropriately considered as evidence of contentment and happiness, as the singing of a slave; the songs of the one and of the other are prompted by the same emotion. -- from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Table of Contents

Foreword
Preface
INTRODUCTION: "A Psalm of Freedom"
Pt. 1 The Document 25
Editor's Note on the Text 27
Preface by William Lloyd Garrison, May 1,1845 29
Letter from Wendell Phillips, Esq., April 22,1845 36
Narrative Of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Written by Himself 39
Notes on the Text 109
Pt. 2 Selected Reviews, Documents, and Speeches 117
Caleb Bingham, "Dialogue Between a Master and a Slave," in The Columbian Orator (1797) 119
Margaret Fuller, Review of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, New York Tribune, June 10, 1845 121
Ephraim Peabody, "Narratives of Fugitive Slaves," excerpt, Christian Examiner, July 1849 124
Nathaniel P. Rogers, "Southern Slavery and Northern Religion," two addresses delivered in Concord, New Hampshire, February 11, 1844, as reported in (Concord, N.H.) Herald Freedom, February 16,1844 128
Frederick Douglass, "My Slave Experience in Maryland," an address delivered in New York City, May 6, 1845, as recorded in National Antislavery Standard, May 22,1845 130
Frederick Douglass, Letter to Thomas Auld, September 3, 1848, published in The North Star, September 8,1848; and The Liberator, September 22, 1848 134
Frederick Douglass, "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" speech delivered in Corinthian Hall, Rochester, New York, July 5, 1852 141
App. A Douglass chronology (1818-1895) 147
App. Questions for Considerarion 153
App. Selected Bibliography 155

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 130 )

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 130 Customer Reviews

  • Posted May 6, 2010

    I Also Recommend:

    9781593082833

    The "Narrative" Is A Must Read For Students Learning American History

    I am a high school Social Studies teacher. Each year when I teach about the Reform Period (1820-1860), I require my students to read the "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass." The abolitionist movement is the most visible element of the Reform Period, and Douglass is a giant among men in the movement.

    If you want to learn about what life was really like for African Americans trapped in the institution of slavery then this is your book. When my classes read this book, we read one chapter a day for eleven consecutive days. The book is not all that lengthy, and when presented in this fashion it allows them the opportunity to slowly filter all of what Douglass is relating about his topic.

    Douglass does an excellent job of getting his readers to understand how "ignorance" is used as a tool of slavery. He also vividly conveys how male and female slaves alike are victimized by their masters. Lastly, and most importantly I believe, he conveys how slavery creates a perversion of Christianity.

    This book is a classic and more Americans should find time to read it.

    6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted September 28, 2008

    awesome for history!

    this was the most intriguing book about Fredric Douglas.It is a great read and I hope that other young people become involved with learning more about a man like Fredric Douglas. -Caiti

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted September 23, 2004

    Frederick Douglass was an amazing oralist and writer.

    Frederick Douglass was an amazing oralist and writer. In the 'Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass,' he brought this story to life. Every emotion that he felt, you feel. When slaves were killed by their overseers, his narration makes you feel as if you were right there with the same suspense and horror the other slaves felt. When he was a young boy and watched the barbaric beating of his aunt Hester, his details were so vivid. And, when he stated 'I was so terrified and horror-stricken at the sight, that I hid myself in a closet,' I wanted to be in that closet hiding with him. The articulation that he possesses is amazing. The fact that this story was written by a former slave, would allow you the impression that it would not be easy to decipher. This is not the case at all. His verbage was clear and easy to follow. This story was truly inspirational!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 13, 2012

    Anoymus

    On my nook simple touch, this book won't open. :(

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  • Posted February 12, 2012

    Highly Recommend

    What a wonderful book about strength and courage. It truly depicts the issue of slavery. Anyone interested in or studying the issue of slavery this is a must read.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 17, 2012

    This book helps s This book helps with my researcv This book helps with my school homework!

    Great resource!

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  • Posted October 14, 2011

    An excellent role model for all American children An excellent role model for all American children An excellent role model for all American children An excellent role model for all American children

    Frederick Douglass was elegant and eloquent. When you give serious consideration to the incredible circumstances he overcame to achieve success in the 1800s, it is truly impressive and inspiring. He wrote with honesty and honor. It is a shame that most Americans know nothing of this man or his works.

    Whether you are history buff or not, everyone should read this book as there are lessons to be learned by us all.

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  • Posted May 11, 2011

    Incredible book, inspiration and heart moving.

    This is probably one of the best books Ive ever read. I will never be the same. Read it and be changed.

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  • Posted January 31, 2011

    TNOP

    it was an excelent book!!!!! i loved it.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 18, 2005

    Great Book

    From the beginning of the book to the end you can somewhat feel the suffering and the additional weight put on the slaves. Federick Douglass specifies what he goes threough and what he does about it in this book. He basically tells it all. This is one of the greatest books i'vc ever read by far.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 20, 2005

    In case you din't know this about slavery...

    This book felt as cold water on my face. It made me aware of the profound impact of slavery in all the entities that were part of it. Slaves and masters became victims of the same pest. Through the chapters of this book we able to observe the mental deformation that slavery causes in slaveholders. Using very clear and full of emotions narrative, Frederick Douglas allow us to share, in some way, his journey towards freedom. Moreover, he also succeeds in communicating the greatness of his spirit, determination and faith. I truly recommend this book to everyone that wants to increase awareness in how we become blind to injustice and suffering.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 19, 2004

    Inspirational

    This is such an inspirational story. It is well written and easy to read. You can feel the tension, dismay and sorrow as Mr. Douglas narrates the different things that he had to go through. His story show how faith, courage and determination made him a victor.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted September 22, 2004

    Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave: Written by Himself

    Fredrick Douglass was born into slavery in Maryland in the year 1818. During the reign of his life, he escaped slavery, became renowned for his great cause of liberty and served the national government. His work in the hope for freedom and an end to slavery brought him in contact with many different abolitionists and social reformers. Fredrick Douglas spoke throughout the US and England on the immorality and cruelness of slavery. Fredrick had a personal relationship with President Lincoln and persuaded him to make emancipation a cause for the Civil War. He also was a part in recruiting African American troops for the Union Army. While still held in slavery Douglass met a free African American Woman, and they soon married after his escaped to his freedom. When his first wife passed away, Douglass soon married his secretary, Helen Pitts. There was much controversy over this marriage because Helen was wife. Douglass handled this outrage by defending himself by saying he had honored his mothers race because his first wife was black, and he was now honoring his fathers race because his father was white. In 1872 Douglass moved to Washington D.C. he worked as a publisher that helped promote the work of showing the American people the positions of African Americans in the post Emancipation period. Douglass also shortly served the position of president at Freedman¿s National Bank and other various national service positions. I really enjoyed this reading about the Life of Fredrick Douglass simply because I had no idea who this person was when assigned to read about him, and found out that he was actually a very interesting person. I love history so this was a biography that I truly enjoyed. This man was so broad and intelligent; that no one review about his life can sum it up.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted September 16, 2004

    Outstanding

    A story of complete success which never allows the reader to wander. The amount of life and determination this man represented were outstanding, and will keep you focused throughout. This book serves a dual purpose in my opinion in that it not only gives an account of the slave life, but that of the possibility of, and eventual 'free life'.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted September 15, 2004

    Though Narrative is True...

    The author brings the reader to that moment in time--slavery--with his vivid recollection of experiences and incidents! Douglass leaves us to wonder if we could ever endure times that he did! Though this narrative is true, even as a middle-aged African American -- this narrative is beyond my comprehension! Maybe I can't relate because I hesitate to place myself in that moment with Douglas! Truly Inspiring!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted September 11, 2004

    Really brings the reader into the story.

    Dogulass's detailed discription of the events really allows the reader into his mind and into his world. The book really captured my attention and I couldn't stop reading it. It's a very sad yet uplifting story on the determination of the human spirit that we all have within us.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted September 19, 2004

    Very Interesting piece

    I enjoyed this piece of literature. It was well witten and vivid. I could see what is going on and I can feel the writers emotions. I recommend this book if you are into the history of slavery and African American literature.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted September 15, 2004

    Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave: Written by Himself

    Born in 1818 and dying in 1895, Fredrick Douglass led a life of courage, wisdom and faith. Douglass was born into slavery on the Eastern shore of Maryland. With no formal schooling Douglass became self-educated by reading anything that he could find available. Ultimately, when Douglass could no longer handle slavery, he disguised himself as a sailor and escaped. Being only twenty at the time of his escape from slavery, Douglass found him self in New York on his way to an exciting career that would change History. Douglass became a strong Abolitionist orator, writer, publisher and Government official. He published three auto-biographical books. The earliest book titled the Narrative Life of Fredrick Douglass, was a self written biography that was to show the readers what kind of horrible crimes that were inflicted on slaves. This book is still one the best slave narratives considered by many. Fredrick Douglass was an excellent speaker, and gave amazing speeches that moved his audiences. He dramatically pressed in his speaking for freedom and independence for all slaves. Fredrick Douglass was a very powerful and courageous man that fought for what he believed in. He fought for many peoples freedom, which is more than any words can describe. A motto Douglass created said, ¿Right is of no sex and truth is of no color.¿ This is still a motto that some people in the world are fighting for today, but at least we as a society had powerful leaders like Fredrick Douglass to pave the way.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted September 21, 2004

    Attention Grabing

    The true-life writing of Frederick Douglas is exceptional. The memoirs of his youth into adulthood as a slave give the reader a descriptive outlook of his life experience. As you read the account of his life you can almost play it scene by scene. The story intrigues you. He would stop at nothing until he became his ¿own master¿. His life is a testament of his bravery, determination and thirst for knowledge.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted September 13, 2004

    LIT2480 online student

    I really enjoyed this book not only because of it's historical aspects, but for exposing the personal tragedy experienced by Frederick Douglass. It allowed me to have a deeper apprecation for his life and it's impact.

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