Douglass

22 5.5

An American who escaped slavery and became a leading writer and speaker for freedom and equality

proper noun
/ˈdʌɡləs/

: Frederick Douglass

A statue of Frederick Douglass stands in the U.S. Capitol to honor his contributions to civil rights.
Frederick Douglass
Douglass, an abolitionist
Douglass on slavery

But not Turner, excuse me, but Frederick Douglass, he said not Turner is one of our glorious martyrs.

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Examples

- Black History Month is in February because Carter G. Woodson wanted Negro History Week to coincide with the births of Frederick Douglass and Lincoln, both in the same week in February.

Medicine for Melancholy (2009)
On May 30, he went to see Frederick Douglass deliver an oration in Boston.

Academic text (2011)
"Of this terrible event, Douglass wrote: "I shall never forget it whilst I remember anything."

Academic text (2008)
But none other than Frederick Douglass came here to New Haven.

YaleCourses
People like, for example, Frederick Douglass, right, all the way to people in the present day.

Gregory B. Sadler - That Philosophy Guy
In the final hour, Frederick Douglass was called before Parliament to speak.

C.S.A.: The Confederate States of America (2005)
Robert, have you met Frederick Douglass?

Glory (1989)
Perhaps that is beginning to change; perhaps the vision of Adams and Douglass may yet be realized.

Academic text (1996)
Earlier in his career, Frederick Douglass had called Lincoln the white man's president.

America: Imagine the World Without Her (2014)
You might not be sitting in this room today if not for the courage of Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman, who fought for the freedom of slaves.

Wild Roomies (2004)

Surface Forms

Douglass main

Etymology

Douglass comes from Scottish Gaelic words dubh and glas, which mean 'dark' and 'stream' or 'river'. A helpful way to remember it is to imagine someone 'from the dark river', and that is the family name Frederick Douglass used and is known by today.