Frederick Douglass (September 2018)

This essay first appeared in the September 2018 issue of Choice (volume 56 | issue 1).

Introduction:

Frederick Douglass (1818–95) lived through slavery, Jubilee, and the early days of segregation, dying just as the Supreme Court endorsed separation with its Plessy v Ferguson decision. An eloquent writer and an inspiring orator, Douglass remains the most influential African American of the nineteenth century. This essay examines literature by and about Frederick Douglass, from primary source collections to biographies and research about his political thought, oratorical skills, and religious beliefs.

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About the author:

Duncan R. Jamieson’s PhD is in American intellectual history. He is Professor of History at Ashland University, Ashland, Ohio.