I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence.Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, 1845
Author · 10 quotes
Frederick Douglass (1818–1895) was an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. He is known for his powerful and influential speeches and writings on the topics of slavery, civil rights, and social justice, becoming a prominent figure in the abolitionist movement and a key advocate for the rights of African Americans.
1818–1895·lived 77 years
I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence.Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, 1845
People might not get all they work for in this world, but they must certainly work for all they get.
A little learning, indeed, may be a dangerous thing, but the want of learning is a calamity to any people.My Bondage and My Freedom, p. 123, 1855
Experience demonstrates that there may be a wages of slavery only a little less galling and crushing in its effects than chattel slavery, and that this slavery of wages must go down with the other.Address of Hon. Fred. Douglass, delivered before the National Convention of Colored Men, at Louisville, Ky., September 24, 1883
I prayed for twenty years but received no answer until I prayed with my legs.
One and God make a majority.Speech to National Free Soil Convention, Pittsburgh, Pa., 11 Aug, 1852
The soul that is within me no man can degrade.Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, 1845
It is not light that we need, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake.What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?, address delivered in Rochester, New York, July 5, 1852
If there is no struggle, there is no progress.
It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.
That’s all 10 quotes by Frederick Douglass.