| 1818 |
Born
a slave, Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, in Talbot County,
Maryland. |
| |
|
| 1826-1838
|
Taught
to read by his owner's wife. Works in Baltimore as servant
and laborer.
Changes his name to Frederick Douglass and escapes to freedom
in the
North. Marries Anna Murray, a free Baltimore woman. |
| |
|
| 1839 |
 First
hears abolitionists William Lloyd Garrison and Wendell Phillips. |
| |
|
| 1841-1847 |
Speaks
at an abolitionist meeting in Massachusetts and is employed
as a
lecturer for the Anti-Slavery society. |
| |
|
| 1845 |
 Publishes
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American
Slave.
Leaves for England and Scotland to escape slave hunters.
|
| |
|
| 1846 |
English
admirers purchase Douglass' freedom and he returns to the
US. |
| |
|
| 1847 |
Publishes the North Star,
a weekly newspaper in Rochester, New York.
Becomes an eloquent spokesman for emancipation and for the
rights of
women.
Meets John Brown in Springfield, Massachusetts. |
| |
|
| 1848 |
Attends
first Women's Rights Convention at Seneca Falls, New York. |
| |
|
| 1851 |
Breaks
with Garrison over issue of political action to end slavery,
which Garrison opposes. |
| |
|
| 1853 |
Visits
Harriet Beecher Stowe at her home. |
| |
|
| 1855 |
Publishes
his second autobiography, My Bondage and My Freedom.
Helps
runaway slaves to find freedom via the Underground Railroad. |
| |
|
| 1858 |
John
Brown stays at Douglass' home in Rochester while planning
to encourage a slave revolt. |
| |
|
| 1859 |
Douglass
refuses to support Brown and his planned raid on Harper's
Ferry. |
| |
|
| 1861-1864 |
Works
to aid the Union cause. Meets with President Lincoln to improve
the treatment of African-American soldiers. Attends President
Lincoln's second
inauguration. |
| |
|
| 1865 |
Receives
President Lincoln's walking stick from Mrs. Lincoln. |
| |
|
| 1872-1881 |
Moves
to Washington, DC, and purchases Cedar Hill, a fifteen acre
estate, in
1878. Becomes federal marshal for the District of Columbia
in 1877 and
recorder of deeds in 1881. |
| |
|
| 1884-1887 |
Marries
Helen Pitts, a white woman from Rochester, New York. They
travel to
England, France, Italy, Egypt and Greece in 1886-87. |
| |
|
| 1889-1891 |
Appointed
minister resident and consul general to the Republic of Haiti.
Resigns and returns to Cedar Hill in 1891. Continues to speak
for oppressed
people and as a champion of human rights. |
| |
|
| 1895 |
Dies
on February 20 at Cedar Hill after attending a women's rights
meeting.
Helen Pitts Douglass works to preserve the home in his memory. |
| |
|
