Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass's account of his life as a slave in Maryland, of how he learned to read and write, of his fight with the slave-breaker Edward Covey, and of his escape to freedom in the North.

Start reading12 chapters, about 36,000 words

Famous quotes

• I have often sung to drown my sorrow, but seldom to express my happiness.

  Chapter IIIn context

  • Music
  • Slavery

• I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and incur my own abhorrence.

  An American Slave (1845), Ch. 5In context

  • Character
  • Truth & Lies

• The silver trump of freedom had roused my soul to eternal wakefulness. Freedom now appeared, to disappear no more forever. It was heard in every sound, and seen in every thing.

  Chapter VIIIn context

  • Freedom
  • Slavery

• I was broken in body, soul, and spirit. My natural elasticity was crushed, my intellect languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful spark that lingered about my eye died; the dark night of slavery closed in upon me; and behold a man transformed into a brute!

  Chapter XIn context

  • Slavery

• You have seen how a man was made a slave; you shall see how a slave was made a man.

  Chapter XIn context

  • Freedom
  • Slavery

Contents

1. Chapter I
2. Chapter II
3. Chapter III
4. Chapter IV
5. Chapter V
6. Chapter VI
7. Chapter VII
8. Chapter VIII
9. Chapter IX
10. Chapter X
11. Chapter XI
12. Appendix