The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass: Written by Himself

Written by Frederick Douglass

Narrated by Richard Allen

The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass was Douglass' third autobiography. In it he was able to go into greater detail about his life as a slave and his escape from slavery, as he and his family were no longer in any danger from the reception of his work. In this engrossing narrative he recounts early years of abuse; his dramatic escape to the North and eventual freedom, abolitionist campaigns, and his crusade for full civil rights for former slaves. It is also the only of Douglass' autobiographies to discuss his life during and after the Civil War, including his encounters with American Presidents such as Lincoln, Grant, and Garfield.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dreamscape Media Audio
• Release date: Feb 7, 2012
• ISBN: 9781611205121

Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) was an African American abolitionist, writer, statesman, and social reformer. Born in Maryland, he escaped slavery at the age of twenty with the help of his future wife Anna Murray Douglass, a free Black woman from Baltimore. He made his way through Delaware, Philadelphia, and New York City—where he married Murray—before settling in New Bedford, Massachusetts. In New England, he connected with the influential abolitionist community and joined the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, a historically black denomination which counted Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman among its members. In 1839, Douglass became a preacher and began his career as a captivating orator on religious, social, and political matters. He met William Lloyd Garrison, publisher of anti-slavery newspaper The Liberator, in 1841, and was deeply moved by his passionate abolitionism. As Douglass’ reputation and influence grew, he traveled across the country and eventually to Ireland and Great Britain to advocate on behalf of the American abolitionist movement, winning countless people over to the leading moral cause of the nineteenth century. He was often accosted during his speeches and was badly beaten at least once by a violent mob. His autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave (1845) was an immediate bestseller that detailed Douglass’ life in and escape from slavery, providing readers a firsthand description of the cruelties of the southern plantation system. Towards the end of his life, he became a fierce advocate for women’s rights and was the first Black man to be nominated for Vice President on the Equal Rights Party ticket, alongside Presidential candidate Victoria Woodhull. Arguably one of the most influential Americans of all time, Douglass led a life dedicated to democracy and racial equality.

Reviews for The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass

[greeniezona · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The story of acquiring this volume is a long story full of sighs. But having read it, it seems silly to complain about anything so trivial.Reading this book, I wanted to become a Quaker and go on nationwide speaking tours. I wanted to smack a lot of stupid, racist white people. I marveled at both the force of Frederick Douglass's personality and also all the factors that had to fall into place to make his legacy possible. I also marveled at the way he wrote his multiple autobiographies -- not as if posterity would have much interest in him as a person, but that posterity would want to know what this transitional time in history was like. As if 150 years later, it wouldn't be his name looming large, while most of the people he name-checks throughout are forgotten. An excellent last book for Less Stupid Civil War Reading Group, as it probably goes the furthest into the post-war changes in society.

[eltomaso · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Auto-biograhical account of the end of slavery, by the courageous black leader who convinced Lincoln of the moral obligation to free the slaves. Without him, we might still be a slave-holding nation! A great American! A great book!

[Adam · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An excellent narration

[Veronica Brown · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Beautiful book I throughly enjoyed it. I wish he had spoken more about his wife Anna.