President Lincoln declares, “I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated states and parts of states, are and henceforward will be free.” (Emancipation Proclamation of 1863) Booker T. Washington and Frederick Douglass both at some point in time suffer immensely from slavery. In Up From Slavery and The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, we see two beautifully written autobiographies about the ferociousness of slavery and the empowering freedom given to each author. Frederick Douglass was born in February 1818, in Talbot County, Maryland. He is a slave from the time he is born and knows of nothing different. He devotes his latter years of enslavement to finding an escape route from the bondage of slavery. Booker T. Washington was born in April 1856. Unlike Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington is freed by the Emancipation Proclamation. He in turn takes his new found freedom and diligently works at developing an education system for his own race.
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Washington yearn for a liberated and equal life. In Frederick Douglass’ autobiography he powerfully describes his feelings about slavery. He states, “ The more I read, the more I was led to abhor and detest my enslavers. I could regard them in no other light than a band of successful robbers, who had left their homes, and gone to Africa, and stolen us from our homes, and into a strange land reduced us to slavery. I loathed them as being the meanest as well as the most wicked of men.” ( Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass pg. 35) Not only does this profound statement testify to his hatred towards slavery, but Frederick’s actions prove this also. He becomes a revolutionary abolitionist by attempting escape the tumultuous grip of slavery. He is determined to become a free man that is literate and intelligent. Frederick desires freedom, not only for his sake but for the entirety of the African American
Washington yearn for a liberated and equal life. In Frederick Douglass’ autobiography he powerfully describes his feelings about slavery. He states, “ The more I read, the more I was led to abhor and detest my enslavers. I could regard them in no other light than a band of successful robbers, who had left their homes, and gone to Africa, and stolen us from our homes, and into a strange land reduced us to slavery. I loathed them as being the meanest as well as the most wicked of men.” ( Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass pg. 35) Not only does this profound statement testify to his hatred towards slavery, but Frederick’s actions prove this also. He becomes a revolutionary abolitionist by attempting escape the tumultuous grip of slavery. He is determined to become a free man that is literate and intelligent. Frederick desires freedom, not only for his sake but for the entirety of the African American