American Writers Museum

Frederick Douglass was a relentless advocate for change and constantly challenged the status quo in American society through his writing and speeches. Everyone who seeks change faces obstacles they must overcome. Using what you learned navigating through the Frederick Douglass: Agitator Resource Kit, address the questions below.

Frederick Douglass-Agitator

From the end of the Civil War until his passing in 1895 Douglass continued his public speaking with more than 800 speeches. He also wrote all the time, published his newspaper, and served in various government positions for more than 30 years.

Explore the later life of Frederick Douglass

A brilliant orator, writer and social justice agitator, Frederick Douglass meticulously cultivated his image through photography. His portrait was taken over 160 times, in sittings across the country, making Douglass the most photographed American of the 19th century. 

The Most Photographed Man of the 19th Century

The words of Frederick Douglass ring true today just like they did 150 years ago. Watch this video to hear students from Young Chicago Authors read short quotes from some of Douglass’ famous speeches. YCA helps young people from all backgrounds to understand the importance of their own stories and those of others, so that they can pursue the path they choose and work to make their communities more just and equitable.

Bringing Douglass’ Words to Life

Frederick Douglass changed his times, but he never changed the clarity of his mission: equality for all. Author and orator Frederick Douglass was a “self-made man” (the title of one of his most popular speeches). To Douglass, a self-made man was an activist who sought to eradicate the sins of society. He escaped from slavery to become one of the most eloquent voices of abolitionism. The official end of slavery in 1865 marked the second phase of Douglass’ career. His words – passionate, brilliant, and powerful – denounced violent racism in the South while demanding true equality for all Americans.

https://exhibits.americanwritersmuseum.org/exhibits/frederick-douglass/

Educator Overview-Frederick Douglass Agitator.pdf

Frederick Douglass: Agitator

Writing

English Language Arts

Photographer: Albert Sands Southworth & Josiah Johnson Hawes, c. 1845 

Courtesy of Onondaga Historical Association

Photographer: Edwin Burke Ives & Reuben L. Andrews, January 21, 1863

Photographer: Benjamin F. Smith, January-February 1864

Courtesy of the Armistad Center for Art & Culture, Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art

Photographer: Alfred B. Crosby & Israel Warren Merrill, April 1864

Photographer: Henry P. Rundel & Charles Warren Woodward, c. 1865

Courtesy of Beinecke Rare Books and Manuscript Library, Yale University

Photographer: James Presley Ball, January 12, 1867

Courtesy of the Cincinnati History Library and Archives

Courtesy of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

Photographer: Denis Bourdon, May 10, 1894

Courtesy of Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College

Resource Kits

Object Library

Museums

Frederick Douglass: Agitator

The Most Photographed Man of the 19th Century

Background Knowledge

Frederick Douglass Portrait, c. 1845