The Douglass family is a prominent

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

family originating from Cordova, Maryland, United States. It was founded by the politician and activist

Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass (born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, February 1817 or 1818 – February 20, 1895) was an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became ...

History

Born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, Frederick Douglass assumed the surname from the poem ''

The Lady of the Lake The Lady of the Lake (french: Dame du Lac, Demoiselle du Lac, cy, Arglwyddes y Llyn, kw, Arloedhes an Lynn, br, Itron al Lenn, it, Dama del Lago) is a name or a title used by several either fairy or fairy-like but human enchantresses in the ...

'' (1810) by

Sir Walter Scott Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet, playwright and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European and Scottish literature, notably the novels '' Ivanhoe'', '' Rob Roy' ...

after his escape from

slavery Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...

to hide from his former master. He did this as a result of the proposal of a friend. As he explains in his first autobiography: His family would later go on to become a part of the

African-American upper class The African-American upper class is a social class that consists of African-American individuals who have high disposable incomes and high net worth. The group may include highly paid white-collar professionals such as academics, engineers, law ...

, continuing to provide leadership and intermarrying with descendants of the African-American educationist and political

kingmaker A kingmaker is a person or group that has great influence on a royal or political succession, without themselves being a viable candidate. Kingmakers may use political, monetary, religious and military means to influence the succession. Origina ...

Booker T. Washington Booker Taliaferro Washington (April 5, 1856November 14, 1915) was an American educator, author, orator, and adviser to several presidents of the United States. Between 1890 and 1915, Washington was the dominant leader in the African-American c ...

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(c.1818–1895), statesman, writer *

Anna Murray Douglass Anna Murray Douglass (1813 – August 4, 1882) was an American abolitionist, member of the Underground Railroad, and the first wife of American social reformer and statesman Frederick Douglass, from 1838 to her death. Early life Anna Murray w ...

(1813–1882)

abolitionist Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the movement to end slavery. In Western Europe and the Americas, abolitionism was a historic movement that sought to end the Atlantic slave trade and liberate the enslaved people. The British ...

, first wife of Frederick Douglass ** Rosetta Douglass-Sprague (1839–1906), teacher and activist ***

Fredericka Douglass Sprague Perry Fredericka Douglass Sprague Perry (August 9, 1872 – October 23, 1943) was an American philanthropist and activist. Perry founded the Colored Big Sister Home for Girls in 1934 in Kansas City, Missouri. With her husband, John E. Perry, she worked ...

(1872–1943), philanthropist **

Lewis Henry Douglass Lewis Henry Douglass (October 9, 1840 – September 19, 1908) was an American military Sergeant Major, the oldest son of Frederick Douglass and his first wife Anna Murray Douglass. Biography Lewis Henry Douglass was born on 9 October 1840 in ...

(1840–1908), soldier ** Frederick Douglass, Jr. (1842–1892), abolitionist, essayist, newspaper editor, soldier **

Charles Remond Douglass Charles Remond Douglass (October 21, 1844 – November 23, 1920) was the third and youngest son of Frederick Douglass and his first wife Anna Murray Douglass. He was the first African-American man to enlist in the military in New York during the ...

(1844–1920), soldier, clerk ***

Joseph Douglass Joseph Henry Douglass (July 3, 1871 – December 7, 1935) was a groundbreaking African-American concert violinist, the son of Charles Remond Douglass and Mary Elizabeth Murphy, and grandson of abolitionist Frederick Douglass. Early life and infl ...

(1871–1935), musician ****Frederick Douglass III (1913–1942), physician, married Nettie Hancock Washington (1917–1982), teacher and granddaughter of

*****Nettie Washington Douglass (1942-), co-founder, with her son, Kenneth B Morris Jr., of the Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives, an anti-sex trafficking organization **Annie Douglass (1849-1860) *

Helen Pitts Douglass Helen Pitts Douglass (1838–1903) was an American suffragist, known for being the second wife of Frederick Douglass. She also created the Frederick Douglass Memorial and Historical Association, which became the Frederick Douglass National Histor ...

(1838–1903),

suffragist Suffrage, political franchise, or simply franchise, is the right to vote in public, political elections and referendums (although the term is sometimes used for any right to vote). In some languages, and occasionally in English, the right to v ...

, second wife of Frederick Douglass

References

{{Frederick Douglass

History

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See also

References