Born into slavery in 1818, Frederick Douglass escaped at the age of 20 and spent the rest of his life fighting for African-American rights. Blessed with the gift of mesmerizing oratory skills, Douglass’ appearances at abolitionist meetings helped spread the ant-slavery movement in the northern states.

     His autobiography published in 1845 and a follow-up written a decade later became pillars of the abolitionist movement. During the Civil War, Douglass successfully argued for the formation of black regiments to fight for the Union, and then helped recruit the soldiers to man them. After the war, Douglass fought tirelessly for the rights of Native Americans, women, and immigrants. He was president of the Freedman’s Savings Bank, one of the first financial institutions run by and for African-Americans, and later was made U.S. minister to Haiti and Chargé d'affaires to the Dominican Republic. By the time he passed away in 1895 at the age of 77, Frederick Douglass was one of the most recognizable and respected figures in the United States.

     This elegant framed display pairs a short biography and formal portrait of Douglass with a flawless fountain pen ink signature of the great man. The piece displays just Douglass’ signature; however, the full document is intact beneath the professional matte. This original document is a December 10, 1884, dated land record from the period Frederick Douglass was the Recorder of Deeds for the District of Columbia. This is a truly stunning tribute to the man whose tireless dedication helped strike down slavery in America and change the course of history. Professionally framed and matted to 13 ½ x 22 ¾ inches and comes with a LOA from University Archives.

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