Frederick Douglass: An American Icon
Shortly after his escape from slavery, Frederick Douglass connected with the abolitionist movement, becoming one of its most important leaders, writers, and orators. Until his death at age 77, this self-taught genius remained a tireless champion of human rights and of the most basic principle of our democracy—that we are all created equal and are entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Jane Goette had known Frederick Douglass only as a famous Black American until she found Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave on her daughter’s bookshelf. She couldn't put it down. Her talk introduces the founding father of post-slavery America.