It was unlawful, as well as unsafe, to teach a slave to read. Frederick Douglass More Quotes by Frederick Douglass More Quotes From Frederick Douglass The Constitution of the United States knows no distinction between citizens on account of color. Neither does it know any difference between a citizen of a state and a citizen of the United States. Frederick Douglass democracy differences color Did John Brown fail? John Brown began the war that ended American slavery and made this a free Republic. Frederick Douglass republic slavery war They who study mankind with a whip in their hands will always go wrong. Frederick Douglass diversity justice hands The more I read, the more I was led to abhor and detest my enslavers. Frederick Douglass detest This war, disguise it as they may, is virtually nothing more or less than perpetual slavery against universal freedoms. Frederick Douglass slavery war history The law on the side of freedom is of great advantage only when there is power to make that law respected. Frederick Douglass advantage law sides We succeed, not alone by the laborious exertions of our faculties, be they small or great, but by the regular, thoughtful and systematic exercise of them. Frederick Douglass thoughtful succeed exercise Intelligence is a great leveler here as elsewhere Frederick Douglass elsewhere The thought of only being a creature of the present and the past was troubling. I longed for a future too, with hope in it. The desire to be free, awakened my determination to act, to think, and to SPEAK. Frederick Douglass determination past thinking My great and exceeding joy over these stupendous achievements, especially over the abolition of slavery (which had been the deepest desire and the great labor of my life), was slightly tinged with a feeling of sadness. Frederick Douglass abolition-of-slavery labor desire Fugitive slaves were rare then, and as a fugitive slave lecturer, I had the advantage of being the first one out. Frederick Douglass slave advantage firsts Men and women, old and young, married and single, were ranked with horses, sheep, and swine Frederick Douglass horse sheep men I have often wished myself a beast. I preferred the condition of the meanest reptile to my own. Any thing, no matter what, to get rid of thinking! It was this everlasting thinking of my condition that tormented me. There was no getting rid of it. It was pressed upon me by every object within sight or hearing, animate or inanimate. Frederick Douglass reptiles sight thinking I have no accurate knowledge of my age, never having seen any authentic record containing it. Frederick Douglass accurate records age Heaven's blessing must attend all, and freedom must soon be given to the pining millions under a ruthless bondage. Frederick Douglass freedom blessing heaven Allow us the dignity to fight for our own freedom Frederick Douglass dignity patriotic fighting ...of whom I can say with a grateful heart, 'I was hungry, and he gave me meat; I was thirsty, and he gave me drink; I was a stranger, and he took me in.' Frederick Douglass grateful meat heart Money is the measure of morality, and the success or failure of slavery as a money-making system, determines with many whether...it should be maintained or abolished. Frederick Douglass slavery making-money morality Grandmother pointed out my brother Perry, my sister Sarah, and my sister Eliza, who stood in the group. I had never seen my brother nor my sisters before; and, though I had sometimes heard of them, and felt a curious interest in them, I really did not understand what they were to me, or I to them. We were brothers and sisters, but what of that? Why should they be attached to me, or I to them? Brothers and sisters were by blood; but slavery had made us strangers. I heard the words brother and sisters, and knew they must mean something; but slavery had robbed these terms of their true meaning. Frederick Douglass grandmother brother mean Self-Made Men are the men who owe little or nothing to birth, relationship, friendly surroundings; to wealth inherited or to early approved means of education; who are what they are, without the aid of any favoring conditions by which other men usually rise in the world and achieve great results. Frederick Douglass self men mean
