Overview
Frederick Douglass was the leading African American spokesman of the 1800's. During his lifetime, Douglass fought for the abolition of slavery and for the rights of people of African descent. After the abolition of slavery in 1865, he spoke eloquently on the troubles still facing former slaves. He recorded many of these observations in his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, on which much of this fictitious interview is based. Despite the efforts of Douglass and others, the appalling injustices that African Americans faced persisted for decades. It was not until the mid-1900's, through the impetus of a strong civil rights movement, that some of those wrongs began to be redressed. Douglass's life and words continue to serve as an inspiration for many people today.