Frederick Douglass Argumentative Essay

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Frederick Douglass is known through the eyes of many as a passionate abolitionist, who worked to gain rights for the African American population. In reality, he was much more than this. As an adult he was a prized author, an editor of a newspaper, a lecturer, and a salesman (Schmitt, 1). Such accomplishments were not gained overnight, though, his journey was a long one riddled with pain and challenges. He began his life as a slave, raised by his grandparents (3). As he grew older and more useful he was moved around to other plantations, at one of with he learned to read under the watchful eye of his master’s wife (5). After a few years here, it was observed by his masters that he had become “softened” by the relaxed life of a city slave, so he was sent to a renowned slave beater to be straightened out. To their dismay, by this point in his life Douglass was strong and courageous, and after six months at the hands of the slave beater he began fighting back (6). Scared of what Douglass would do to his reputation, the slave beater sent the boy back to his previous owner. It was at this time Douglass planned his escape to New York. At the age of 20 he made his move (7). Once free, Douglass lived …show more content…

Here, the city has constructed a bust in his honor. It is a part of a mission that the park has been focusing on called the living classrooms project, which allows children to get a glimpse into the famous beginnings of the first African American owned shipyard ("Frederick Douglass Memorial in Fells Point"). The monument was put up to commemorate the Douglass’s time working in the yard as a young man. It was constructed in 2006 by craftsman Marc Robinson ("Frederick Douglass Memorial in Fells Point"). Overall this is a very nice tribute to a dark time in the life of Fredrick Douglass that is often not discussed in other homages to the abolitionist’s

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