Frederick douglass history for kids

Frederick Douglass

Born: 1818
Place of Birth: Maryland
Died: 1895

While there are many voices for civil rights and freedom for Black Americans, Frederick Douglass remains one of the most noteworthy of all.

Douglass was a former slave that became an activist and writer and was so influential in his speaking and topics that he became the advisor to presidents.

• In the days of slavery, when the mother was a slave, any child born to her was automatically a slave.

  Frederick Douglass was born on a Maryland plantation and he never knew how his father was or his real birthdate. By the time he was seven years old Frederick had been sent to the plantation at Wye House and three years later his mother died.

  He was then sent to Baltimore to be a slave for the Auld family.

• During those days it was against the law to teach slaves to read and write but the wife of the master of the plantation, Sophia Auld, started teaching Frederick how to read when he was twelve.

  She continued to tea