Frederick Douglas

 Frederick Douglas

"I expose slavery... because to expose it is to kill it. Slavery is one of those monsters of darkness to whom the light of truth is death."

Frederick Douglas was an abolitionist and African American who left the South to be free. Douglas then decided to speak in favor of repealing slavery in the North. Douglas fought against slavery in the 1800s. Douglas wrote extensively being self-educated.

Douglas had his own publication called the Almanac and also wrote for an anti-slavery newspaper. Douglas was important in the abolitionist movement indicating that self-education is needed to improve oneself. 

The racist slavery system in the 1800s did not want individuals to improve their circumstances and attempted to keep African Americans illiterate so that they would not improve. Douglas saw the importance of education throughout his life and improved. He learned to read and write and would be important in the fight against slavery.

Douglas had two publications going on at once. Douglas had his own publication and contributed to a newspaper in the North calling for freedom from slavery. Douglas describes that learning to read and write is needed in order to improve and fight against racism and caste systems. We can help others by speaking truth and allowing them to understand that self-education is empowerment and corruption must be exposed.