Holloway Classics

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

by Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass’ memoir of his early life in slavery and his journey out of bondage, published in 1845, was one of the most influential and defining pieces of the abolitionist movement, which resulted in the ratification of the 13th Amendment in 1865. The book was a bestseller—its sales helped the author to purchase his freedom—and established Douglass as a leader in the movement for abolition, racial justice, and equality.
Originally published by Anti-Slavery Office in 1845
Project GutenbergDigital Text
Library of CongressImages
Rachel JepsenDigital Production
The Details
Length: 150 pages
Language: English
ISBN (Holloway.com):
978-1-952120-15-2
About the Author
Frederick Douglass
Born into slavery around 1817, in Maryland, Frederick Douglass learned to read and write while still enslaved as a young man, and escaped from bondage in 1838. The publication of his first book established him as a leader in the abolitionist movement. He was most active in Massachusetts and New York, where he gave speeches, ran an abolitionist newspaper, and aided hundreds of enslaved people escaping to freedom on the Underground Railroad. Following the ratification of the 13th Amendment, Douglass continued to fight for the voting rights and civil liberties of Black people, and was a prominent activist for women’s suffrage. A writer, preacher, orator, and agitator until the day he died, at age 77, Douglass remains one of history’s most influential and inspirational figures.