Frederick Douglass: His Slavery Years Essay

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the United States was a young nation divided by numerous philosophical and political differences. Arguably, slavery was the most divisive issue at the time. There were individuals who spoke out against slavery; perhaps the most eloquent anti-slavery voice belonged to Frederick Douglass. Douglass was an American abolitionist who altered American views concerning slavery through his writings and actions. He stood in stark contrast to pro slavery advocates’ claim that slaves lacked the intellectual capacity to act as free citizens. Douglass was born into slavery as Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, in February, 1818. The exact date of his birth is unknown. Douglass chose to celebrate February 14th as his birthday. In his autobiography, The Narrative of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Douglass (2002) stated, â€Å"I have no accurate knowledge of my age, never having seen authentic record containing it†(SparkNotes Editors, 2002). Douglass’s birthplace was Holmes Hill Farm, located on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Frederick’s mother, Harriet Bailey, was a slave who worked the cornfields around Holmes Hill. Little is known of Frederick’s father other than he was a white man. There was speculation that Douglass’s father was his master as slave owners often impregnated their female slaves. Common among slaves was being forced to work long hours; Harriet was no exception. The long hours deprived Harriet from forging a motherly bond with her son. Douglass (2002) recalled the only time he spent with his mother was when she would walk 12 miles after dark to lie next to him at night (SparkNotes Editors, 2002). At a young age, Douglass was separated from his mother and placed in the care of his maternal grandmother, Betsey Bailey. Several years later, when told that his mother had died, Douglass barely reacted to the news. Living with his grandmother shielded Douglass from the harsh realities of slavery. Betsey’s job was to simply look after the young children of the slaves. When Frederick was seven or eight years old, he would begin to the face the bleak life of a slave. Douglass’s grandmother inexplicably took him on a long, faraway journey. The two approached a large, graceful home, called the Lloyd Plantation. Several children were playing in front of the home. According to Sandra Thomas, author of Frederick Douglass–Abolitionist/Editor, A Biography of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Betsey Bailey pointed to three of the children and introduced them as his siblings, Perry, Sara, and Eliza (Sandra Thomas, n.d). Frederick reluctantly joined his brother and sisters for a bonding session. After a while, Frederick realized his grandmother had left the plantation without him. Life on the Lloyd Plantation was vastly different from what Frederick was accustomed to. The plantation encompassed 20 farms and grew tobacco, corn, and wheat. Douglass’s master was named Captain Aaron Anthony, who was also the plantation’s superintendent. Captain Anthony supervised all of the plantation’s overseers, and was responsible for three to four hundred slaves owned by the Lloyd family. All slaves were required report to Lloyd’s central plantation for their monthly allowances of pork or fish and cornmeal. All of Lloyd’s slaves referred to the central plantation as â€Å"The Great House Farm,† because it resembled a small village (SparkNotes, 2002). The slaves also received one set of linen clothing, which was expected to last for one year. Frederick did not work in the field as a young boy because children were not strong enough. Instead, he was assigned to be the companion of Daniel Lloyd, the plantation owner’s grandson. Even though Daniel quickly became quite fond of Douglass, this friendship did not produce any favoritism towards Frederick. Like the other slave children, Douglass was given only a long, linen shirt to wear. The cold winters damaged Douglass’s feet so badly that he could insert a pen into the cracks of his flesh (SparkNotes, 2002). The children were fed cornmeal mush and forced to eat it out of a trough, similar to how pigs were fed. Perhaps the only preferential treatment Douglass received came from Lucretia Auld, Captain Anthony’s daughter, recently married to a ship’s captain. Lucretia gave Douglass menial tasks to perform, such as running errands. In 1826, Lucretia told Douglass he would be sent to Baltimore to live with her brother-in-law, Hugh Auld, manager of a ship building company. Additionally, if Frederick cleaned himself up really well, Lucretia promised to give him a pair of pants to wear for his trip. In his autobiography, The Narrative of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Douglass (2002) states he spent the majority of the three days leading up to his trip at a creek, â€Å"washing off the plantation scruff†(BookRags, p 75). Clean and stylish in his pants, Douglass left the Lloyd Plantation for what he hoped would be the last time. Of leaving Colonel Lloyd’s plantation, Douglass (2002) felt no sorrow or loss because his mother was dead, he seldom saw his grandmother, and his relationship with his brother and two sisters was limited (BookRags, p 75). Frederick arrived in Baltimore and was greeted by the Hugh and Sophia Auld, and their little son, Thomas. The happy smile on Sophia’s face represented a first for Douglass; kindness on the face of a white master. Douglass (2002) believed his move to Baltimore signified the first major step toward freedom. He credited his selection among so many other children as an act of divine intervention, saying: From my earliest recollection, I date the entertainment of a deep conviction that slavery would not always be able to hold me within its foul embrace; and in the darkest hours of my career in slavery, this living word of faith and spirit of hope departed not from me, but remained like ministering angels to cheer me through the gloom. This good sprit was from God, and to him I offer thanksgiving and praise. (Book Rags, p. 75) Frederick’s duties at the Auld home were to run errands and care for the Auld’s infant son, Tommy. There was a noticeable difference between slavery in Baltimore and slavery in the country. In Baltimore, slave owners shared a common sense of decency towards their slaves. In general, slaves were rarely beaten and were given adequate amounts of food to eat. Sophia Auld was unlike any white woman Douglass had ever encountered; she treated him like a human being. Sophia was a religious woman and would often read aloud from the Bible to Frederick and Tommy. Douglass gathered up enough courage and asked Sophia to teach him how to read. Sophia agreed and had soon taught Frederick the alphabet and a few simple words. Sophia had never been a slave owner, and had not developed the mindset that blacks were sub-human. Sophia was thrilled with Fredericks’s progress and excitedly informed her husband. Hugh Auld was furious at his wife’s willingness to bond with a slave as well as her desire to educate one. Auld informed his wife that it was unlawful to teach a slave. Furthermore, if a slave knew how to read and write it would make him unfit to be a slave. A slave owner’s worst fear was an educated slave. An educated slave would no longer obey the master and may even begin to question life as a slave. An educated slave may even escape to freedom alone or with a band of slaves. Auld ordered his wife to stop the lessons immediately. Over time, the constant prodding from Sophie’s husband and the menacing effects of slavery soon changed her attitude towards Frederick. Douglass (2002) noted the change of feelings in his autobiography, saying: But, alas! this kind heart had but a short time to remain such. The fatal poison of irresponsible power was already in her hands, and soon commenced its infernal work. That cheerful eye under the influence of slavery soon became red with rage; that voice made of sweet accord, changed to one of harsh discord; andangelic face gave place to that of a demon. (Book Rags, p. 77-78) Frederick surmised from Auld’s outburst that reading and writing were his pathways to freedom. Frederick made obtaining this knowledge a personal challenge. Douglass used what he learned from Sophia and increased his knowledge of the alphabet on his own. He accomplished his task through diligence and the use of clever tactics. Since Sophia had stopped teaching Frederick to read, she became extremely vigilant in preventing him from learning, becoming stricter than her husband. Whenever she caught Frederick reading, Sophia would scream at him to stop and threaten to beat him if she caught him reading again. In order to counter Sophia’s watchful eye, Douglass made friends with as many white children as he could while he ran errands. The children became Frederick’s teachers; each child offered a different skill set to further Frederick’s knowledge. Whenever Douglass had time between his errands, he would join his friends for a quick lesson. Frederick also exchanged bread for instruction, particularly from the poorer white kids who had less to eat than he did. Frederick (2002) recounts talking to some of them about freedom and even gained sympathy from some for his plight (BookRags p. 79).   When Douglass was around 12 or 13, he obtained a copy of a book entitled, The Columbian Orator, a collection of speeches and essays dealing with liberty, democracy, and courage. The book opened up for Douglass a vast array of ideas on freedom, liberty and truth. One particular passage in the book intrigued Frederick the most. A master and his recaptured slave exchanged dialogue regarding why the slave had run away. The master failed to understand why the slave had attempted to escape for a second time, outlining the many acts of kindness given to the slave. The slave defended his actions and the conversation soon turned into an argument for or against slavery. The slave expertly countered every point the master made for why slavery should be allowed. Having realized defeat, the master granted the slave freedom, even wished him prosperity in his new life. The book also contained a speech arguing for the freedom of Irish Catholics and for human rights in general. Douglass began to fully articulate the case against slavery, but it also brought forth the painful realization of his own life as a slave. The warnings of Hugh Auld had come true, Frederick’s new found knowledge began to torment his soul. In his autobiography, The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass, (2007), Douglass stated, â€Å"the very discontent so graphically predicted by Master Hugh had already come upon me. I was no longer the light-hearted gleesome boy, full of mirth and play, as when I landed in Baltimore†(Library of Liberty, p.90). During this time, Douglass began to listen to anyone who discussed slavery. At some point in the discussions, Douglass heard the word abolitionist for the first time. In a city newspaper account of a Northern abolitionist petition, Frederick learned that word meant anti-slavery (SparkNotes, 2002). Armed with this new found knowledge, Frederick attempted to learn all he could about abolitionists. Douglass (2007) declared, â€Å"I therefore set about finding out, if possible, who and what the abolitionists were and why they were so obnoxious to the slaveholders†(Library of Liberty, p 90). Soon thereafter, Douglass aided two Irish sailors, without being asked, unload a boat at the wharf. When the task was completed, one of the sailors asked Douglass if he was a slave. Frederick (2007), replied, â€Å"I am a slave for life† (Library of Liberty, p.93). The Irishman shrugged and appeared to be deeply affected by Frederick’s response. Both Irishmen implored Douglass to run away to the north where he could be free. Douglass pretended to be uninterested, because he feared the men might be bounty hunters who enticed slaves to escape, then recaptured them to collect the reward money. However, the thought of running away stayed on his mind, with a vow to do so when the time was right. Before he could run away, Frederick believed that he should learn to write. Douglass (2007) surmised that knowing how to write would be useful, â€Å"as I might have occasion to write my own pass†(Library of Liberty,p.94). By this time, Douglass was assigned to Hugh Auld’s shipyard. He used that opportunity to study the letters that the ship’s carpenters wrote on pieces of timber. Douglass quickly became proficient in writing the letters he knew, and devised a plan that would increase his writing skills. He approached local boys at the shipyards and challenged them to writing contests. Douglass would write out the letters he had learned, and defied them to outdo him. This tactic gave Frederick the opportunity to learn new letters which he practiced over and over. Any writing surface he encountered, i.e., fence, wall, or pavement, he used to practice. His master’s son, Tommy was in grade school at this time and had several books at home. Whenever Douglass was left alone to care for the house, he wrote the words in Tommy’s book until he was able copy them exactly. Through these tedious tasks, Douglass learned to write. About three years after moving to Baltimore, Captain Anthony died. Anthony’s youngest son, Richard, preceded him in death. In order to divide the estate equally between the two remaining children, Andrew and Lucretia, Douglass was sent back to Talbot county as property to be evaluated. Frederick’s departure from the Auld household was a sad occasion. Douglass (2007) recalled, â€Å"We all wept bitterly, for we were parting, and it might be we were parting forever† (Library of Liberty, p.97). At the valuation (2002), slaves young and old were ranked along with the pigs, horses, and cattle (Book Rags, p. 80). The slaves were forced to anxiously wait to see where they were headed. Frederick’s worst fear was to be placed in the possession of Master Andrew, a man known to be heartless and cruel. Douglass was especially troubled by this since he had experienced a certain degree of kindness in his life. Fortunately, Douglass was given to Lucretia Auld, who promptly sent him back to Baltimore to live with Hugh and Sophia Auld. Shortly after his return to Baltimore, both Lucretia and Master Andrew died. Their deaths left all the slaves in the hands of strangers. Perhaps the cruelest aspect of slavery was how Frederick’s grandmother was treated. After years of faithful service to her master and his children (2002), after caring for him from infancy to death, and after populating his plantation with her children and grandchildren, she was deemed too old to be of value and sent out to a little hut to die alone (Book Rags, p. 82). Two years after the death of Lucretia, Thomas Auld had a disagreement with his brother Hugh, and demanded Frederick’s return. Unlike the first time he was forced to leave Baltimore, Frederick was not sad about leaving Hugh and Sophia. According to Douglass (2007), â€Å"The influence of brandy and bad company on him, and of slavery and social isolation on her had wrought disastrously upon the characters of both†(Library of Liberty, p. 100). When Douglass returned to live with Thomas Auld, his began to experience slave life as a field hand. For perhaps the first time in his life, Douglass began to experience prolonged bouts of hunger. He and the rest of the slaves had to resort to begging and even stealing in order to obtain food. Douglass and Captain Auld did not get along; Auld considered Douglass spoiled from city life. Douglass received several beatings as a result of his attitude and for purposely letting the master’s horse run away. Despite several beatings, Douglass refused to be broken. As a direct result, Captain Auld lent Frederick to Edward Covey for a year. Covey was a farm renter with a reputation for being a â€Å"nigger breaker†(Library of Liberty, p. 101). Douglass was thankful for the move, believing he would at least have enough to eat. During Frederick’s first six months with Covey, he was beaten for a myriad of mistakes. Some of the mistakes were real, while others were due to Covey’s imagination. Frederick (2007) experienced his darkest days as a slave, stating: I was broken in body, soul, and spirit. My natural elasticity was crushed, my languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful spark that lingered about my eye died†¦(Library of Liberty, p. 105). A flicker of hope kept him going—the ships on the Chesapeake Bay. Frederick admired the vessels with their white sails and swift mobility. Douglass (2007) contrasted his condition of bondage to the freedom of the seas (Library of Liberty, p. 105). Frederick gained an overwhelming desire to escape from slavery or die trying. A turning point in Douglass’s life occurred after an incident with Covey. Frederick was severely beaten by Covey for being too exhausted to continue to work. Douglass fled to Thomas Auld’s home for protection but was ordered to return. Upon his return, Douglass was beaten again. After conferring with another slave, Frederick was given a root to carry for protection. The next day Douglass received kind words from Covey instead of a beating. The next encounter between Douglass and Covey resulted in a fight that lasted nearly two hours. Afterwards, Covey did not lay a hand on Douglass again. Frederick (2002) recalled, â€Å"My long-crushed spirit rose, cowardice departed, bold defiance took its place†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Book Rags, p. 110). When Douglass’s time with Covey ended, Frederick’s life became similar to a nomad’s. Douglass spent time on another farm, but was arrested for conspiring with other slaves to escape. After his release from jail, Douglass returned to Baltimore and Hugh Auld. Auld assigned Douglass to a shipyard so that he could learn to caulk. There were white men at the shipyard that refused to work with Frederick and a fight ensued. Douglass was assigned to another shipyard where he finally learned to caulk, and received top wages for his work. Since he was still a slave, Douglass was forced to give Hugh Auld all of his money. This injustice reinforced Douglass’s desire to escape, and he put a plan together to do just that. After years of hardship, beatings, jail, and other emotional atrocities, Frederick Douglass was ready to escape slavery. Douglass (2007) stated, â€Å"On Monday, the third day of September, 1838, in accordance with my resolution, I bade farewell to the city of Baltimore, and to that slavery which had been my abhorrence since childhood (Library of Liberty, p.110). Loosely dressed as a sailor, Frederick boarded a train to New York. Using his knowledge of ships, the vernacular of sailors, Douglass deceived the conductor into believing he was a seaman. Douglass’s perilous journey to freedom ended twenty-four hours later in New York City. Douglass found freedom and prosperity as a free man. He eventually settled in New Bedford, MA, with his new wife Anna. Douglass discovered that colored people in the North were united in their efforts to help escaped slaves. Douglass’s (2002) interest in the abolitionist movement was fueled by reading The Liberator, a newspaper that stirred his soul to join the fight to end slavery (Book Rag, p.112). In August, 1841, Douglass attended an anti-slavery convention in Nantucket. With encouragement from a friend, Frederick speaks for the first time to a white audience about slavery. From that moment on, Frederick Douglass became perhaps the foremost figure in the abolitionist movement. References Douglas, F. (2002). Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave (2nd ed.). Retrieved from http://www.bookrags.com/notes/fred/PART5.html Douglas, F. (2007). The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass: From 1817-1882. Retrieved from http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/2007/138723 SparkNotes. (2002). SparkNote on Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Retrieved from http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/narrative/ Thomas, S. (n.d.). Frederick Douglass, Abolitionist/Editor, A Biography of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Retrieved from http://www.history.rochester.edu/class/douglass/home.html