Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave

"In coming to a fixed determination to run away," writes Frederick Douglass, "we did more than Patrick Henry, when he resolved upon liberty or death. With us it was a doubtful liberty at most, and almost certain death if we failed. For my part, I should prefer death to hopeless bondage."

In 1838, Douglass escaped from slavery and went to New York City. His memoir was published in 1845 and had a nationwide influence on the ending of slavery in the United States. He was a champion of individual rights, property rights, and liberty in general. His memoir is rightly seen as one of the great documents in the history of freedom.