Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass

April 30, 2018 - Background Information and Preparation: Tomorrow, we will be interviewing Virginia Hughes from the Frederick Douglas National Historic Site, which is located in Washington DC. She will talk about the life, favorable characteristics, and contributions to the Civil War and racial equality of Fredrick Douglass.
Fredrick Douglass was born into slavery in 1818. He was lucky enough that his mistress taught him how to read and write at such a young age. Later, he escaped from slavery with the help of Anna Murray, which would eventually be his future wife. While he was free, he became famous from his abolitionist speeches and auto-biographies. He continued to actively speak and advocate for racial equality and women's rights until his death in 1895.


May 1, 2018 - Interview Day: During the beginning of the interview, Ms. Hughes gave us a video tour of Douglass's house during his final years. Ms. Hughes explains the significance of Douglass during his time and many years later during the later stages of the Civil Rights Movement. Douglas moved in with his first wife, Anna. Then, when she died, Douglas remarried to a woman named Helen. Helen is a white woman and about 20 years younger than him, which remained a big deal during his time. He spent much of the time in his house writing his third autobiography and other various speeches. Many things that preside in his house today can relate to his position as an abolitionist and civil rights activist. Douglass moved in here at age 59 and continued to live in this house until his death at age 77. However, after his death Helen, his second wife, continued to set the example that her husband served.

The lack of documentation of Anna, Douglass's first wife, shows the contrast of the social construct back then: women were more seen as wives of men, rather than actual people.

Mrs. Hughes continues to explain the significance of portions of Douglass's life after touring through the house. Douglas escaped slavery by pretending to be a sailor but he was still technically a slave. When Douglas started giving speeches and writing autobiographies, his master came looking for him. It wasn't until other people purchased his freedom that he did not have to worry about being repatriated back to his former owner. Douglas was extremely passionate about abolition and he devoted his life to working so that slavery be abolished.

Perhaps the most interesting part in my opinion is that he actually went back to talk to the man who owned, beat, whipped, and enslaved him, after slavery is abolished and he could confront him without fear of reenslavement, only to make each other cry. It's just so interesting that he can talk to his former owner peacefully despite his former mistreatment and abuse.

Below here is a full outside view of his house: