Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) was an Afro-American abolitionist who as a child slave learned to read against the wishes of his owners. From his teenage years, Douglass was fighting back when physical abuse was attempted at him. He eventually managed to escape from slavery and gradually became a celebrated public speaker and active politically involved proponent of emancipation. His first autobiography is a milestone work as previously such personal accounts of Blacks' hardship had been ghostwritten. Douglass, who established himself as a true master of oratory and action, has since been epitomised for his unbreakable spirit and perseverance against the social constructions of injustice.
