Frederick Douglas is one of the rare individuals that was able to overcome a rough beginning and pursue a path in life that allowed him to fight for the rights of others. He is famous for being a human rights leader that also was a former slave. He was a huge presence in the abolition movement. He was not afraid to speak his mind and was known for being someone that fought for what he believed in. It is important to understand what some of the biggest accomplishments were in the life of Frederick Douglas. Here are the top accomplishments of Frederick Douglas.
1. Escaping Slavery
One of the biggest accomplishments that Frederick boasts in his life is the ability to escape slavery. This is not something that was achieved easily and he actually failed two times before he was able to escape to freedom. He was able to make it to a safe house in 1838 when he was finally free. It was his story of escaping slavery that he was asked to tell over and over again at abolitionist meetings.
2. Autobiography
Frederick saw that it was important to tell his story and his viewpoint of slavery. This led him to write and publish his autobiography. This was a book that actually became a best seller and is one of the first books published by an African American to do so. His book was so popular that it was actually translated into a number of other languages. The story of Frederick Douglas was one that inspired many people involved with the abolitionist movement.
3. Legal Freedom
Since he was a runaway slave, gaining the type of fame that he did was actually harmful to his freedom. He had to escape to Ireland for a few years before he was finally granted legal freedom and allowed to return to the states as a free man for the first time. Finally getting his freedom legally is an accomplishment that Douglas held dearly.
4. Newspapers
Frederick Douglas became a well respected writer and began his own abolitionist newspaper. Not only did he write for this paper, but so did other big proponents of the abolitionist movement., It gave them a platform and allowed them to get their message of freedom and equality out to the masses. He also was the first male to attend the women’s rights convention, because he was known as someone that fought for the rights of others no matter who they were.