Learned EOTO: Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass (right), born February 1818 in Maryland, was a well-known abolitionist, early suffragist, publisher, orator, writer and former slave. 

Douglass was very vocal in his anti-slavery speak. He published and spoke about abolishing slavery quickly after escaping his own slavery. He was even a leader in the abolition movement before and after the Civil War up until his death in 1895. 

In the realm of journalism, he stood out as a mixed black man, as a man who denounced the practice of slavery, sought out justice of human rights, and for having a New York newspaper under the name The North Star.

The name of this paper, first issued in 1847, was a reference to slavery. Polaris, nicknamed and popularly known as "The North Star," was a significant guide to many escaped slaves searching for their permanent freedom. Polaris was the marker for slaves to head north. Douglass' paper hoped to facilitate expanding the range of permanent freedom farther south.

Soon after starting up The North Star (left), Douglass gained two other papers. In 1851, through a merger, Douglass created the Frederick Douglass’ Paper. In 1859, he started publishing Douglass’s Monthly, which published editions only monthly. Once the Civil War began and his recruitment efforts of black soldiers, Douglass was forced to stop printing and publishing by 1863. 

After the war, Douglass ran one last newspaper called The New National Era from 1870 to 1874. 

While Douglass is best known for his civil rights movement in abolition and suffrage, he remains a significant early figure for using journalism and publication as a means of gaining justice and equality between the races and between the genders.