Frederick Douglass: Thematic Question

How do you think Douglass' autobiography helped to promote an end to the evil institution of slavery in the United States?

Frederick Douglass’ autobiography caused quite a stir among Americans when it was published in 1845. Many people in the North did not know what slavery was like, and even more had never heard about it first hand from some one who had lived in it. Frederick’s autobiography detailed his life from as much as he knew about his early years and parentage through his struggles as a slave and all the injustice he had seen up to his escape and freedom.

Most people who read the autobiography were shocked and appalled at the events of cruelty and mistreatment of the slaves. Children were taken from their mothers at birth in what Frederick could only explain as “to hinder development of the child’s affection toward its mother, and to blunt and destroy the natural affection of the mother for the child.” Slaves were often brutally beaten to the point of their faces or bodies becoming disfigured. Frederick wrote of a female slave he had met who was “So much…kicked and cut to pieces that she was oftener called “pecked” than by her name.” Slaves were beaten and underfed in most cases but worse than that to Frederick was that they were not educated, and would be in a vast amount of trouble if found trying to educate themselves. Frederick realized at a young age that slaves were kept in ignorance to keep them as slaves.

The complete exposure of the cruelties in the narrative written by an eye witness who had experienced some of the horrors himself was extremely jarring to those who read it. The words that Frederick wrote coaxed anti slavery feelings into a blaze. His autobiography was support for abolitionists who were already campaigning for the end of slavery, but it also won supporters to the cause who otherwise would not have know much about slavery.

When Frederick reached his freedom in the North he dedicated the rest of his life to help in promoting the end of slavery and advocating equality for all races as well as women. He delivered many speeches but eventually there was suspicion as to if he ever really was a slave; that maybe it was just a clever act to win supporters. By writing his autobiography, Frederick was able to put down that idea and continue speaking and writing believed.

The autobiography was popular and translated into many languages and was read in America and many other countries besides. The autobiography won the anti slavery movement supporters through out Europe and America. The wide spread popularity of Frederick’s life story brought him much popularity especially with European women. The European women bought Frederick’s freedom and were able to get him a printing press as well for him to further promote the end of slavery.

Frederick Douglass’ autobiography helped to promote the end of slavery in the United States by providing many people who did not have a good understanding of what was going on in the world of slavery much needed reliable insight. It proved that Frederick was who he claimed to be and that he had a right to speak out against all the awful things he saw. It also gave Frederick the popularity that allowed him to continue writing, publishing, speaking, and convincing people of the wrongs of slavery for the rest of his life.


Source:
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. New York, NY: Penguin Group, 1997.