2008 Student Essays - North Carolina Region Winner

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Frederick Douglass
by Warché Downing
Plymouth High School
Plymouth, North Carolina

"If there is no struggle, there is no progress." This strong man is often described as the founder of the American civil rights movement.  He was a profound advocate for equality, and thus he lived and practiced what he believed. Who is this great man?  This great leader is no other than Frederick Douglass.  Frederick Douglass was born in Maryland in 1818; he became a leading abolitionist speaker, editor, and activist after he escaped slavery and moved to the North.  Frederick Douglass was a man who believed in equal opportunity; not only did he promote equality for African Americans, but he believed in fair treatment of all people, whether they were Indian, female, black, or immigrants.  He was a significant hero in our history who will never be forgotten because he was a strong man who believed in and practiced equalitarianism.

Not content to condemn southern slaveholders exclusively, he criticized northern employers for not hiring blacks.  Frederick Douglass understood that the key for African Americans to improve their status was through education and, furthermore, he was a promoter for the desegregation of schools.  Frederick Douglass was one of the most prominent figures in African-American history; he was one of the most influential lecturers and authors in American history.

Frederick Douglass devoted his life to advocating the brotherhood of all humankind because he supported the abolition of slavery.  He published a series of papers in the mid-1850s, including the "The North Star."  His publications informed readers of the growing controversy over slavery.  He also strived for women’s rights; in fact, Frederick Douglass was one of the delegates at the Seneca Falls Convention, the first women’s rights convention held in the United States.  Frederick Douglass not only talked equality and abolition, but he acted on the issues in an intricate manner.

Frederick Douglass is one of many heroes who have contributed much to our society as well as to the well being of many people.  Indeed, Frederick Douglass was a strong man who helped to establish the changes that were needed in our society.  As stated by Frederick Douglass, “Man’s greatness consists in his ability to do and the proper application of his powers to things needed to be done.”  Truly, this quote represents Frederick Douglass well, because he applied his powers and his ability to do what needed to be done and, furthermore, he was effective.