THE MOUNTAINTOP

Fredrick Douglass was a Black social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from slavery, Douglass received international acclaim for his oratory skills and anti-slavery writings. He edited a prominent Black newspaper and was frequently used as a counter-example to the notion that slaves were simple minded. He frequently stressed the importance of education and unity between Black and White Americans. He worked with Abraham Lincoln and recruited Black men to join the Union Army. Douglass believed in the equality of all peoples and in making alliances across racial and ideological divides.