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The Frederick Douglass Organization
Frederick Douglass Biography
1841 - 1847
- 1841, June 30 Chairman of meeting of New Bedford blacks that condemns
Maryland colonization society.
- 1841, August 9 Garrison hears Douglass speak at New Bedford antislavery
meeting; is impressed by his ability.
- 1841, August 12-13 Speaks three times before large, chiefly white
audiences at Nantucket convention; rouses great enthusiasm; is hired
as lecturer by Massachusetts Anti- Slavery Society for three-month trail
period.
- 1841, September 28 Is forcibly ejected from Eastern Railroad train
for refusal to ride in “Jim Crow” car; early progenitor
of non-violent protest movement.
- 1841, Autumn Moves family from New Bedford to Lynn, Massachusetts.
- 1841, October In first speech reported in detail; at Lynn, launches
twin attack on slavery in South, racial prejudice in North.
- 1842, January Is hired permanently as anti-slavery lecturer after
3,500 mile tour draws big crowds, high praise for his oratorical talent.
- 1842, March 3 Son Frederick, Jr. is born.
- 1842, November 8 Writes first public letter describing his work in
defense of George Latimer, a fugitive slave.
- 1842- Travels extensively in New England and New York State; is
- 1843 victim of many instances of northern racial bias.
- 1843, September 16 Attacked by pro-slavery mob at Pendleton, Indiana;
continues lecture tour despite broken right hand.
- 1844, October 21 Son Charles Remond is born.
- 1845, May 28 Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American
Slave, published, revealing his identity and presenting a stark picture
of his early life in Talbot County slavery.
- 1845, August 6 Leaves the United States for England, partly to avoid
being captured and sent back to slavery and partly to spread the anti-slavery
cause in the British Isles.
- 1845, August Sails for Great Britain aboard Cunard steamer Cambria;
forced to travel in steerage.
- 1845, August 27 Pro-slavery Cambria passengers threaten to throw him
overboard when he attempts to deliver abolitionist speech.
- 1845, August 28 Arrives at Liverpool on “visit to the home of
my paternal ancestors”
- 1845, August 31 Travels to Dublin, Ireland, for three-month speaking
tour at Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Belfast before large and enthusiastic
anti-slavery and temperance audiences.
- 1845, late September First Dublin edition of Narrative published;
sells rapidly, helps finance British travels.
- 1845, October 25 Thomas Auld sells rights to Frederick to brother
Hugh for $100; later, abolitionist press claims Hugh has vowed to get
vengeance by selling Frederick south “cost what it may.”
- 1846, January-May Tours Scotland', campaigning unsuccessfully against
acceptance of funds from American South by Free Church of Scotland.
- 1846, May-December Takes anti-slavery crusade to England; lionized
by British crowds.
- 1846, October 6 Hugh Auld agrees to sell Frederick's manumission for
150 pounds sterling ($711.66 in American currency) raised by British
admirers.
- 1846 December 12 Becomes free man when manumission papers are filed
in Baltimore County court.
- 1847 April 20 Arrives back in Boston after highly acclaimed British
tour of eighteen months.
- 1847, late September Announces plans to start newspaper, The North
Star, despite bitter opposition from Garrison and Phillips with funds
provided by British friends.
- 1847, December 3 First issue of The North Star is published in Rochester,
New York where he makes his home for the next twenty years.
- 1847, December Meets John Brown in Springfield, Massachusetts. In
later discussions with him, is greatly influenced by Brown's personality
and insistence that slavery cannot be ended without violence.
1848 - 1851