"Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom" by David W. Blight - review

After working on it for a month, I've finally finished reading this very interesting book about Mr. Bailey (his real family name). It's over 700 densely packed pages about the life of one of the most important abolitionists the US, and the world, has ever seen.

Mr. Blight spent a decade researching Frederick Douglass and it's clear that he admires him. He was sometimes very speculative, sometimes hyperbolic, and carefully critical of some things Mr. Bailey did, while he glossed over other things that were questionable. Sometimes, the editors failed to do an excellent job on this book, and it was sometimes a bit redundant, as well as not always presenting things in a chronological manner. Overall, however, it was a fascinating look at this great man, the time period, the prevailing attitude towards slavery and black rights, and many important figures (good and evil) in the struggles of those times. I learn about several presidents throughout his life, prominent southerners (most of them slavers) and northerners (some abolitionist but many more who were racist or slavers), many abolitionists and the divisiveness that undermined their efforts, and so much more.

This book goes into such great detail about Douglass, although his private feelings are mostly a mystery, that when it got to Feb. 20, 1895, the description of his death and funeral brought me to tears.

Was he a great man? Yes. Did he have flaws? Absolutely. Did he make mistakes? Undoubtedly. Was he unfaithful to his wife, Anna? Unclear. Did he use people to achieve his goals of abolition and equal rights? Definitely. Was he ever tricked or misused? Several times. Did he and blacks in general face terrible discrimination? Without a doubt! The shadow of slavery and the attitudes that came with it persists even to this day in the corrupted hearts of some Americans.

I encourage everyone to read this amazing book!

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