President Lincoln and Frederick Douglass: Parallel Crusaders

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Parallel Crusaders for Freedom
Despite coming from vastly different worlds, both Frederick Douglas and President Abraham Lincoln had similar ideals and beliefs that ignited the beginning of the end of slavery. Even though Lincoln and Douglas had similar viewpoints on controversial issues during the nineteenth century, these two influential leaders differed in some regards, such as their styles and methods on handling specific situations during this time period.

Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky on February 12, 1809. Nine years later, Frederick Douglass was born in Maryland. Lincoln had two hard-working parents, Nancy and Thomas Lincoln. Although his parents lacked a formal education, they taught Abraham as much as they could. For example, his mother usually read Bible stories, whereas his father told jokes. Abraham yearned to read books and learn about the unique world around him. In contrast, Frederick Douglass’s mother, Harriet Bailey, was a slave who arduously labored on the farm. Due to her extreme working conditions, Frederick rarely saw her. To make matters worse, Frederick’s mother passed away when he was only eight years old and his father was nowhere to be found. Due to the aforementioned stipulations that Frederick had to face, his grandmother was his primary caretaker for the majority of his young childhood. Since Frederick’s mother and grandmother had absolutely no form of education due to their slave background, Frederick Douglass tended to teach himself and learn from the white children in his neighborhood. Frederick also read anything he could get possession of. So, both men had the same personal characteristics, which set the foundation for their future success. They received no formal education as a child b...

... middle of paper ...

...ake the necessary steps toward emancipation.
In closing, these two influential leaders were able to accomplish their goals using various methods, including their outstanding leadership and oratory skills. Despite their entirely different upbringings, these two individuals’ values and goals mirrored one another. They persevered and eventually were successful in attaining civil liberties for blacks.

Works Cited

http://rense.com/general63/friend.htm

http://www.mrlincolnswhitehouse.org/inside.asp?ID=38&subjectID=2

http://www.amazon.com/Abraham-Lincoln-Frederick-Douglass-Friendship/dp/0547385625 ( buy book on your kindle app)

http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/document/oration-in-memory-of-abraham-lincoln/

http://www.amazon.com/Giants-Parallel-Frederick-Douglass-Abraham/dp/0446698989

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/f/frederick_douglass.html

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