Frederick Douglass was a great man. He was born a slave. When he was about 15 years old, Douglass was sent to a slave owner who beat him. Douglass fought back! Two years later, in 1836, he ran away dressed like a sailor so that no one would know him.

Frederick Douglass was an abolitionist. These were black people and white people who did not like slavery. They worked hard to end it.

In 1847, Frederick Douglass started a newspaper called the North Star. He wrote stories to tell people the bad things about slavery. He was very good at talking and writing.

Douglass wrote books about himself, called autobiographies. He told what it was like to be a slave. He also worked on the Underground Railroad. Douglass worked to help black people all of his life.