How did Frederick Douglass make an impact on the world that we live in today?

I
count myself among the list of historians who
think thatmay be one of the most underrated civil
rights leaders in American
history. Though Douglass is primarily known for his abolitionist
views, his
influences in womens rights, social justice, and civil rights are cornerstones in
the
modern way these fundamental rights have become a part of our nations
consciousness. Douglasss
legacy is inseparable from the Thirteenth,
Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments, which may be
one reason he has not been
given the same historical prominence as DuBois, Tubman, Carver,
Anthony,
Garvey, or Stanton. If Douglass had lived during the 1960s, his voice would have
joined
with civil rights icons like King, Young, Abernathy, Jackson, and
others in promoting civil
rights and world social justice.

With the passage of what is sometimes called
the Civil War
Amendments and other times theAmendments to the Constitution, Douglass
achieved
what many considered his lifes work. The significance of these three
amendments extended beyond
the turbulent times associated with the Civil War
and Reconstruction period. These three
amendments would impact future
generations, as they formed the basis for future Supreme Court
civil rights
battles and for civil rights legislation. After the ratification of the
Amendments,
Douglass continued to speak to matters related to the rights of
African Americans but also
turned to speak on issues related to the rights of
women.

The Seneca Falls
Convention (1848) was the first
large-scale convention on behalf of womens suffrage. Douglass
was one of many
prominent participants at the meeting, and some historians credit his

behind-the-scenes work for passing a resolution in support of womens suffrage. His
signature,
along with those of many other prominent feminists such as
Elizabeth Cady Stanton, appears on
the Declaration of Sentiments, a call for
womens right to vote.

Douglass
would use his newspaper to
promote the rights of women throughout the remainder of his life. In
a
historical twist of fate, Douglass would pass away shortly after attending a Womans
Council
Meeting. His early support and impact on the womens movement is
overshadowed by his work on
civil rights issues but is a prominent
achievement that needs to be brought to light.

Douglass
was a well-known advocate in Great Britain and parts of Europe for what in

modern times is known as social justice. Douglass, to escape being returned to slavery,
left the
United States to travel abroad. While abroad, he promoted a wide
array of civil rights and
social issues throughout his time in Great Britain
and Ireland before returning to the United
States. The money he earned on his
speaking tour was enough to purchase his freedom from bondage
and start his
newspaper, The North
Star.

Frederick Douglass lived a life of
possibility. As an escaped slave, an abolitionist
leader, an advocate for
womens suffrage, a journalist, a business owner, and a promoter of
social
justice issues, his influence continues to live in the modern civil rights
movement
worldwide.

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