Who would be free themselves must strike the blow. Better even to die free than to live slaves. — Frederick Douglass Copy Share Image
Slaves were expected to sing as well as to work. A silent slave was not liked, either by masters or overseers. — Frederick Douglass Copy Share Image
Slaves sing most when they are most unhappy. The songs of the slave represent the sorrows of his heart; and he is… — Frederick Douglass Copy Share Image
“never having seen any authentic record containing it. By far the larger part of the slaves know as little of their ages… — Frederick Douglass Copy Share Image
“Thus, when the slave asks for virtuous freedom, the cunning slaveholder, knowing his ignorance, cheats him with a dose of vicious dissipation,… — Frederick Douglass Copy Share Image
“She had been the source of all his wealth; she had peopled his plantation with slaves; she had become a great grandmother… — Frederick Douglass Copy Share Image
“I had at one time over forty scholars, and those of the right sort, ardently desiring to learn. They were of all… — Frederick Douglass Copy Share Image
“their base ingratitude to my poor old grandmother. She had served my old master faithfully from youth to old age. She had… — Frederick Douglass Copy Share Image
“If any one thing in my experience, more than another, served to deepen my conviction of the infernal character of slavery, and… — Frederick Douglass Copy Share Image
“It is due, however, to my mistress to say of her, that she did not adopt this course of treatment immediately. She… — Frederick Douglass Copy Share Image
“A treacherous President stood in the way; and it can be easily seen how reluctant good men might be to admit an apostasy which… — Frederick Douglass Copy Share
I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only… — Frederick Douglass Copy Share
“But I should be false in the earliest sentiments of my soul, if I suppressed the opinion. I prefer to be true to myself,… — Frederick Douglass Copy Share
A man who will enslave his own blood, may not be safely relied on for magnamity. — Frederick Douglass Copy Share
“I assert most unhesitatingly, that the religion of the south is a mere covering for the most horrid crimes, - a justifier of the… — Frederick Douglass Copy Share
I assert most unhesitatingly, that the religion of the South is a mere covering for the most horrid crimes—a justifier of the most appalling… — Frederick Douglass Copy Share
The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppose. — Frederick Douglass Copy Share
Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. — Frederick Douglass Copy Share
“We have all met a class of men, very remarkable for their activity, and who yet make but little headway in life; men who,… — Frederick Douglass Copy Share
“The fatal poison of irresponsible power was already in her hands, and soon commenced its infernal work. That cheerful eye, under the influence of… — Frederick Douglass Copy Share
A battle lost or won is easily described, understood, and appreciated, but the moral growth of a great nation requires reflection, as well as… — Frederick Douglass Copy Share
I was broken in body, soul, and spirit. My natural elasticity was crushed, my intellect languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful spark… — Frederick Douglass Copy Share
I have observed this in my experience of slavery, that whenever my condition was improved, instead of increasing my contentment; it only increased my… — Frederick Douglass Copy Share
At a time like this, scorching irony, not convincing argument, is needed. — Frederick Douglass Copy Share
