Frederick Douglass: His Connection with the Underground Railroad & John Brown
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In addition to advocating abolition in his lectures and in his publications, Douglass became active in the Underground Railroad, and was instrumental in shepherding many fugitive slaves to Canada. He also had a close relationship with John Brown and his family. Although he ultimately disapproved of John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry (he believed it was doomed to failure), Douglass had initially assisted in raising funds for Brown’s abolitionist activities. Douglass’ connection to Brown got him in trouble with the law. He was forced to escape to Canada in October 1859 to avoid the possibility of repercussions in the heated atmosphere following the raid. He was assisted in his escape by by his dear friends, Amy and Isaac Post. Douglass sailed from Canada to England in November 1859, lecturing against slavery there. His return to Rochester was spurred by the tragic death of his youngest daughter Annie, on March 13, 1860.
Source: winningthevote.org
Women's Rights Movement
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The antislavery crusade of the early nineteenth century served as a training ground for the women's suffrage movement which was strongly supported by Frederick Douglass. He participated in the first Women’s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls in 1848 and signed the Declaration of Sentiments. Elizabeth Cady Stanton later reported that the resolution calling for women’s suffrage was passed by that Convention to a great extent through Douglass’ efforts on its behalf. After the convention, Douglass published a positive editorial on "The Rights of Women," which appeared in the July 28, 1848 edition of the North Star. The History of Woman Suffrage notes that during the subsequent adjourned Women’s Rights Convention held in Rochester on August 2, 1848, "Frederick Douglass, William C. Nell, and William C. Bloss advocated the emancipation of women from all the artificial disabilities, imposed by false customs, creeds, and codes." In 1853, Douglass signed "The Just and Equal Rights of Women," a call and resolutions for the Woman’s Rights State Convention held in Rochester on November 30 and December 1, 1853. He also attended and spoke at that meeting.
Douglass actively supported the women's rights movement, yet he believed black men should receive suffrage first. During the years before the Civil War, Douglass was a close friend of Susan B. Anthony and her family, and often visited their home. However, during the years from 1865 to 1870, Douglass split from many women’s rights activists over the issue of passage of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth
Amendments. Anthony and Stanton refused to support the Fifteenth Amendment because it excluded women. Douglass, on the other hand, believed with many abolitionists that it was important to secure the rights of African-American males before working to achieve the rights of women. Their argument was both public and private, and there was resentment and hurt on both sides. Immediately after the adoption of the Fifteenth Amendment in 1870, Douglass resumed his women’s rights activities. He called for an amendment giving women the right to vote, and wrote an editorial supporting women’s suffrage entitled "Women and The Ballot," published in October 1870. He remained an active supporter of this cause till the day he died. Source: winningthevote.org