Frederick Douglas

             "People might not get all they work for in this world, but they must certainly work for all they get."" This was said by one of the most prominent public speaker, journalist, and antislavery leader of the 19th century, Frederick Douglass.
             Frederick Douglass was born into slavery on Holmes Hill Farm near the Eastern Shore of Maryland in 1818, and was given the name Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, after his mother Harriet Bailey. Frederick's mother, Harriet Baily, worked the cornfields surrounding Holmes Hill. He new very little about his father, except that he was a white man, although it was rumored that his mother's master, Captain Aaron Anthony, had fathered him. Frederick began working in the fields at age six. Living life under his mother's master was miserable. He was denied adequate amounts food, clothing, and shelter, and was often beaten. .
             In 1826 Frederick was sent to Baltimore to the home of Hugh and Sophia Auld, who were relatives of his master. Sophia Auld began to grow very fond of Frederick, and even began to teach Frederick to read from the bible, but when her husband became aware of the situation he ordered her to stop. He believed that slaves should not be taught to read or write. By this time Frederick had already learned basic literacy skills and secretly used books belonging to Sophia Auld's son to teach himself. At the age of twelve, he bought his first book, called the Columbian Orator, which was a collection of essays that discussed the evils of slavery. While reading the book he learned of men and women fighting to end slavery. When he was fifteen years of age he was sent to the farm of Thomas Auld, Hugh Auld's Brother. Thomas Auld was a very cruel master who would beat and starve his slaves.
             When Frederick was about 17, Auld sent him to work for Edward Covey, a "slave breaker" who specialized in shattering the spirit of rebellious slaves, Auld believed Frederick was to difficult to control.