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Summary Of Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass

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I found the article, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Revisited by Robert Stepto in the Howard University Press, to be very informative and interesting discussing the aspects of Fredrick Douglass’s autobiography. While reading this article, I discovered that Douglass possessed an authoritative voice in the abolition movement. Douglass, an escaped slave, is known for his amazing capability to advocate both written and orally. Douglass is considered to be the best visible social reformer of the period. In 1845, Douglass wrote his autobiography entitled, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave. Douglass’s autobiography is arguably the best one out of three other American slave narratives published during this …show more content…

Douglass had initially avoided mentioning his flight from slavery in fear of his capture and re-enslavement. Stepto states, “In 1855 Douglass published his second autobiography, My Bondage and My Freedom” (pg. 5). Douglass uses publication of his works to extend details of his life as a free man including extracts of all of his speeches. Douglass’s narratives sold over 18,000 copies in Germany. In 1881, Douglass published his last autobiography entitled, Life and Times of Frederick Douglass. Douglass limited his slavery experiences and incorporated the Civil War and postwar events. Douglass did not sell as many of this last autobiography as he had previously sold because society had progressed past any interest in slavery. It is a known fact that none of the other publications of the Douglass’s autobiographies could top the sales, nor garnered as much influence as the first autobiography written in 1845. Stepto notes, “Douglas was a prolific writer; speeches, personal letters, formal lectures, editorials, and magazine articles literally poured from his pen” (pg. 4). It is evident that the interest of the press in Douglass’s life as a slave contributed to his book

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