Frederick Douglass

A man’s rights rest in three boxes: the ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box.

Frederick Douglass

A slave is someone who sits down, and waits for someone to free them.

Frederick Douglass

A smile or a tear has not nationality; joy and sorrow speak alike to all nations, and they, above all the confusion of tongues, proclaim the brotherhood of man.

Frederick Douglass

A war undertaken and brazenly carried for the perpetual enslavement of the colored men, calls logically and loudly for the colored men to help suppress it.

Frederick Douglass

Abolition of slavery had been the deepest desire and the great labor of my life.

Frederick Douglass

America is false to the past, false to the present, and solemnly binds herself to be false to the future.

Frederick Douglass

American labor rights activist, on activities of the National Farm Workers Association Human law may know no distinction among men in respect of rights, but human practice may.

Frederick Douglass

And I remember that God reigns in eternity, and that whatever delays, whatever disappointments and discouragements may come, truth, justice, liberty, and humanity will ultimately prevail.

Frederick Douglass

As those who believe in the visibility of ghosts can easily see them, so it is always easy to see repulsive qualities in those we despise and hate.

Frederick Douglass

At a time like this, scorching irony, not convincing argument, is needed.

Frederick Douglass