Frederick Douglass was born on February 1818 in Talbot County, Maryland and died of a heart attack on February 20, 1895. During his life as a slave he taught himself how to read and write which at the time was against the law for slaves to learn literacy. At the age of thirteen he worked on exercises that will help him master the art of public speaking and be known as one of the most influential abolitionist at the time. In addition to his skills he acquired, he decided to organize a secret school to help slaves also learn how to read and write, but it was discovered. In response to the discovery of the secret school, Douglass was punished and taken to local farmer who had a reputation of treating slaves harsh. Instead of weakening Douglass this made him more strong and resistant to overcome any obstacle thrown at him. His skills and eager were many reasons he became a well known abolitionist, civil rights activist, and reform journalist.
