FrederickDouglassInhisthirdautobiography,Americanabolitionist,editor,orator,author,statesman,andreformerFrederickDouglassreflecteduponhislife,observingthathehad“livedseverallivesinone:first,thelifeofslavery;secondly,thelifeofafugitivefromslavery;thirdly,thelifeofcomparativefreedom;fourthly,thelifeofconflictandbattle;andfifthly,thelifeofvictory,ifnotcomplete,atleastassured."BiographyFrederickAugustusWashingtonBaileywasbornaslaveinTuckahoe,Maryland,inFebruary1818.Hebecamealeadingabolitionistandwomen'srightsadvocateandoneofthemostinfluentialpublicspeakersandwritersofthenineteenthcentury.Frederick'smother,HarrietBailey,wasaslave;hisfatherwasrumoredtobeAaronAnthony,managerforthelargeLloydplantationinSt.Michaels,Maryland,andhismother'smaster.Fredericklivedawayfromtheplantationwithhisgrandparents,IsaacandBetseyBailey,untilhewassixyearsold,whenhewassenttoworkforAnthony.WhenFrederickwaseight,hewassenttoBaltimoreasahouseboyforHughAuld,ashipbuilderrelatedtotheAnthonyfamilythroughmarriage.Auld'swife,Sophia,beganteachingFredericktoread,butAuld,whobelievedthataliterateslavewasadangerousslave,stoppedthelessons.Fromthatpointon,Frederickviewededucationandknowledgeasapathtofreedom.Hecontinuedteachinghimselftoread;in1831heboughtacopyofTheColumbianOrator,ananthologyofgreatspeeches,whichhestudiedclosely.In1833FrederickwassentfromAuld'srelativelypeacefulhomebacktoSt.Michaelstoworkinthefields.HewassoonhiredouttoEdwardCovey,anotorious"slave-breaker"whobeathimbrutallyinanefforttocrushhiswill.However,onanAugustafternoonin1934,FrederickstooduptoCoveyandbeathiminafight.Thiswasaturningpoint,Douglasshassaid,inhislifeasaslave;theexperiencereawakenedhisdesireanddriveforliberty.In1838FrederickBaileyescapedfromslaverybyusingthepapersofafreeseaman.HetravelednorthtoNewYorkCity,whereAnnaMurraysoonjoinedhim.Laterthatyear,FrederickandAnnamarriedandmovedtoNewBedford,Massachusetts.ThoughsettledintheNorth,Frederickwasafugitive,technicallystillAuld'sproperty.Toprotecthimself,hebecameFrederickDouglass,anameinspiredbyacharacterinSirWalterScott'spoemLadyoftheLake.Douglassbeganspeakingagainstslaveryatabolitionistmeetingsandsoongainedareputationasabrilliantorator.In1841hebeganworkingfull-timeasanabolitionistlecturer,touringwithoneoftheleadingactivistsoftheday,WilliamLloydGarrison.Douglasspublishedhisfirstautobiography,NarrativeoftheLifeofFrederickDouglass,anAmericanSlave,in1845.ThebookbecameanimmediatesensationandwaswidelyreadbothinAmericaandabroad.Itspublication,however,jeopardizedhisfreedombyexposinghistrueidentity.Toavoidcaptureasafugitiveslave,DouglassspentthenextseveralyearstouringandspeakinginEnglandandIreland.In1846,twofriendspurchasedhisfreedom.DouglassreturnedtoAmerica,aninternationallyrenownedabolitionistandorator.DouglassaddressedthefirstWomen'sRightsConventioninSenecaFalls,NewYork,in1848.Thisbeganhislongassociationwiththewomen'srightsmovement,includingfriendshipswithsuchwell-knownsuffragistsasSusanB.AnthonyandElizabethCadyStanton.Duringthemid-1840sDouglassbegantobreakideologicallyfromWilliamLloydGarrison.WhereasGarrison'sabolitionistsentimentswerebasedinmoralexhortation,Douglasswascomingtobelievethatchangewouldoccurthroughpoliticalmeans.HebecameincreasinglyinvolvedinantislaverypoliticswiththeLibertyandFree-SoilParties.In1847Douglassestablishedandeditedthepoliticallyoriented,antislaverynewspapertheNorthStar.DuringtheCivilWar,PresidentLincolncalleduponDouglasstoadvisehimonemancipationissues.Inaddition,Douglassworkedhardtosecuretherightsofblackstoenlist;whentheFifty-fourthMassachusettsVolunteerswasestablishedasthefirstblackregiment,hetraveledthroughouttheNorthrecruitingvolunteers.Mo
