The Spirit of Freedom
(a story about the life of Frederick Douglas)
By Jill Gerber
I was seven or eight years old when I finally left Colonel Lloyd's plantation. When I left the plantation I was ecstatic. It was not that I was hurt or beaten when I was on Colonel Lloyd's plantation, but I had seen many slaves beaten and some almost killed. I was happy to be sent to Baltimore to live with Hugh Auld and his family.
As I made my trip to Baltimore, I anticipated a new start for my life. I was looking forward to my new job as a house boy in Hugh Auld's home. I walked up to the door scared, but anticipating what would be behind the door when it opened. Much to my delight the door was opened by a man and woman with bright, white smiles. At once they welcomed me into their home. Never in all my life had I experienced such a reception. I had the opportunity to help with Master Thomas, the Auld's son. I also ran errands for the Auld's. While I was living at the Auld's, I was like one of the family. I had never been treated so well. I always had enough to eat and plenty of clothes to wear. I felt like this was my home. It was while I lived with the Auld's that I got the first twinge in my spirit to be free.
Mrs. Auld was the nicest lady that I had ever met. She was always smiling and kind to me. She even taught me the alphabet and how to spell three and four letter words. I learned very quickly and was excited to finally learn what the white children were learning. The more I learned the more my spirit of freedom grew. The day came when my lessons ended and Mrs. Auld's attitude toward me changed. I overheard Mr. Auld telling Mrs. Auld that she could no longer teach me. He said that if you "give a slave an inch, he'll take an ell." He told her that I would become unmanageable if I were "educated." When I heard Mr. Auld's words the feelings of freedom inside me grew even stronger, and I decided to learn to read no matter what the cost.
I did learn to read and to write. I was taught by little, white boys that I had met when I was supposed to be running an errand. I learned to write while I was working in the ship-yard. I would copy the letters on the ships on which I was caulking. I also copied over the letters in Master Thomas's spelling books when the family was out.
The spirit of freedom that I first experienced when I was living with the Auld family in Baltimore never died. This spirit carried me on to one day run away to the North and become a freeman.
Frederick Douglas was a slave. He did not see his mother very often even though she lived on the next plantation. The only time that he can remember being with her was during the night when she would sneak over and put him to bed. She died when he was seven years old. He did not even know who his father was, but it was rumored that his father was the white plantation owner.
Frederick was a slave until September 1838 when he ran away to the North. He was never caught while he was in the North. He became a very popular speaker about the abolition of slavery; and he worked for the underground railroad. He died in 1895 as a true African-American hero.
Worksheet Questions:
- How did Frederick Douglas feel when he left Colonel Lloyd's plantation?
- Where did Frederick Douglas first learn how to read?
- Why do you think that learning to read made Frederick Douglas' spirit of freedom come out?
- What did Mr. Auld mean when he said "give a slave and inch and he'll take an ell?"
- How did Frederick Douglas learn to write?
- What did Frederick Douglas do after he ran away to the North?
Outline:
I. Left Colonel Lloyd's plantation
II. I was ecstatic
III. Not hurt or beaten-saw slaves beaten and some almost killed
IV. Trip to Baltimore for new start
V. Walked up to house-bright white faces of Auld's
IV. Welcomed me into home-one of the family-enough to eat/clothes to wear
VI. Worked as house boy and with Master Thomas
VII. First twinge in spirit to be free
VIII. Mrs. Auld taught how to read 3-4 letter words and ABC's
IX. More I learned the more spirit of freedom grew
X. Lessons came to an end
XI. "Give a slave an inch and he'll take and ell."
XII. Spirit of freedom grew even more after that and I would stop at nothing to learn to read
XIII. Learned to read and write
XIV. Spirit of freedom carried me on to one day run away
Answers to Worksheet Questions:
- He felt ecstatic and like it was a new start for his life.
- Mrs. Auld taught him 3-4 letter words and ABC's.
- Answers may vary
- Mr. Auld meant that if you allow a slave to learn one thing he will keep trying to learn more and more and he would become intelligent enough not to obey his master any more.
- He learned to write by copying Master Thomas' spelling books and the letters on the ships that he worked on.
- He became a famous speaker for the abolition of slavery.
Source
Douglas, Frederick. Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass An American Slave Written by Himself. The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press: Massachusetts, 1960.