Emily Washburn
SSE 6115
Biography Project: Frederick Douglass
Biography:
Prince, A. J. (2014). Who was Frederick Douglass? New York, NY: Grosset & Dunlap.
Additional Sources:
Adler, D. A. (2010). Frederick Douglass: A noble life. New York, NY: Holiday House.
Davidson, M. (1989). Frederick Douglass fights for freedom. New York, NY: Scholastic.
bio. (2015). Frederick Douglass biography: Civil rights activist (c. 1818-1895). Retrieved
from http://www.biography.com/people/frederick-douglass-9278324.
White, D. (2009). Frederick Douglass: Great for of slavery. Social Studies for Kids. Retrieved
from http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/frederickdouglass1.htm
How will students document their research?
The student will complete a K-W-L chart on his/her research. Before reading the biography
and conducting research on Frederick Douglass, the student will fill out the K (what you know)
and the W (what you want to learn) section of the chart. After reading the biography and
conducting their research, students will fill out the L (what you learned) section of their K-W-L
chart. Then as a class, students will engage in a discussion about the interesting facts they
learned about Frederick Douglass and if they had any preconceptions that were cleared up during
their research. Students will also document their research through a Biography project of their
own. They will complete the following activities after reading the biography:
1.) Create a Diary: Write 4 diary entries as if you are Frederick Douglass. The entries should
be written in 1st person point of view and should be at least two paragraphs each. The
entries can be written consecutively or over the span of his life time.
2.) Create a Birth Certificate: Design and create a birth certificate for Frederick Douglass.
Include his name, date of birth, mother’s name, place of birth, and characteristics about
the subject. It should resemble an actual birth certificate that may have been found during
the 1800s.
3.) Timeline: Using an online timeline generator, create a timeline of 20 events that occurred
during Frederick Douglass’s lifetime. The events do not have to be about Douglass, but
should be major historical events that occurred during his lifetime.
4.) Biography Bottle: Create a biography bottle of Frederick Douglass. Be creative! Use
various art supplies such as paint, felt, markers, yarn, etc. Make Frederick Douglass come
alive.
5.) Newspaper Article: Write an article that might have appeared during the lifetime of your
person. Write about an event or events that Frederick Douglass was involved with. The
events should be based on evidence from your research.
6.) Picture Collage: Create a picture collage of at least 10 pictures. The pictures should
represent Frederick Douglass’s life.
7.) People Poems: Write a poem about Frederick Douglass. Your poem should include
unique qualities about Douglass or specific events that occurred in his life. The poem
should have at least three stanzas.
8.) Obituaries: Write an autobiographical obituary that celebrates the life of Frederick
Douglass. Create a gravestone and place your obituary on the gravestone.
Diary
May 16, 1830
It has been four years since I moved here to Baltimore, Maryland. Master Edward Lloyd
sent me away from his plantation in Talbot County, where I was born. Master Edward Lloyd sent
me to live with a new Master. Now, I belong to Master Hugh Auld. Master High Auld’s wife has
been teaching me lots of new things. Master’s wife taught me the alphabet even though the law
forbade her to. Master found out that she was teaching me to read and forced her to stop the
lessons.
Now, I am teaching myself to read and write. I learn from watching the white people. I
want to learn to read, so that I may teach other slaves to read. I am starting to be able to read
newspapers. These newspapers talk about slavery. My people are treated poorly. It is not right.
To help my people, I must continue to learn.
April 8, 1836
I have been beaten and starved every day since I came to Master Edward Covey’s farm.
When I first arrived on the farm Master Covey said that he needed to punish me to break my
spirit. Master Covey nearly broke my body, soul, and spirit. The way I am treated here is
despicable and disregards my rights as a human. The dark color of my skin does not make me
any less of a man.
I planned my escape to freedom very carefully, but my plan was discovered. I was
thrown in jail for attempting to escape from slavery. They can beat me until my blood covers the
ground beneath me, but they cannot break my spirit. I will escape to the north. I will be a free
man. Then, as a free man I will help others who were denied justice.
October 22, 1841
I have been a free man for three years now. Once I reached New York, I sent for my
beloved Anna Murray and we married on September 15, 1838. We settled down in New Bedford,
Massachusetts. Since then, I have joined a black church and regularly attend abolitionist
meetings in town.
I continue to read William Lloyd Garrison’s weekly journal titled The Liberator. No face
and form ever impressed me with such sentiments as did those of William Lloyd Garrison.
Garrison’s writing has inspired me deeply.
I was asked to share my story at abolitionist meetings. It was at these meeting that I
became a regular anti-slavery speaker. William Lloyd Garrison wrote of me in his journal. He
wrote of my story and my strength. I hope to continue to share my story, so that I may make a
difference. I will not give up until progress is made and justice is restored.
January 1, 1863
Our nation is in the midst of a civil war. When President Abraham Lincoln was elected
many of the southern slave states seceded from the Union to create Confederate states. The
Union and the Confederacy are fighting over territory and slavery. I strongly believe that this war
is just what we need to abolish slavery across all of America. For 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.
I have conferred with President Abraham Lincoln as an advocate for African American
troops and to encourage him to see this war as a chance to transform the country into a more
perfect nation.
Today, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. The
proclamation declares that all persons help as slaves within the rebellious states are, and
henceforth shall be free. It is to my belief that this proclamation will influence more African
Americans to join in the fight for freedom.
Birth Certificate:
Timeline: 20 Historical Events From 1820-1881
Biography Bottle:
Newspaper Article:
VOL. XXXIII NO. 1
PRESIDENT LINCOLN’S PROCLAMATION
It is well known that President
Lincoln believes slavery to be morally
wrong. On January 1, 1863, President
Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation
Proclamation. This proclamation declared
that all slaves in the rebellious states
“shall be then, thenceforward, and
forever free”- President Lincoln.
FREDERICK DOUGLASS’S INFLUENCE
Frederick Douglass is an
abolitionist who overcame slavery.
Douglass is known by many for his
lectures, publications, and political
ideology.
Although Douglass’s and Lincoln’s
moral ideologies differ, Douglass saw an
opportunity to advocate for African
American troops and to encourage Lincoln
to see the war as a chance to change the
nation.
Boston, Friday, April 3, 1863
Throughout this Civil War, Douglass
has acted as a consultant to President
Lincoln. He helped to convince President
Lincoln that slaves should serve in the
Union forces. Douglass felt that African
American men had a right to fight for
their freedom. He offered his services as
a recruiter to encourage African American
men to join the Union army.
Douglass hopes to continue to
influence President Lincoln to take this
opportunity to abolish slavery. Douglass
argues for a higher purpose to the war.
Frederick Douglass is set to meet
with President Lincoln in the next month
to discuss his ideals further. He has
strong hopes that his efforts will be
noticed and that the President will put
his plans into action. – W.M. Lloyd
Garrison, Editor.
Picture: Collage
People Poems:
I am...
A former slave,
An intellectual,
A Civil Rights Activist,
A writer,
A leader.
I am a believer and an abolitionist.
I see a region that is being shattered by oppression.
I hear the steam engine’s whistle that brought me to freedom.
I want others to hear my story.
I am a believer and an abolitionist.
I feel the whip against my back tying to break my spirit.
I worry that justice will not be served.
I cry for those that are being torn from their families.
I am a believer and an abolitionist.
I understand the danger I have put myself in so that I may educate others.
I say that without struggle, there can be no progress.
I dream of a day where every person’s human rights are recognized.
I hope that I will make a difference.
I am a believer and an abolitionist.
Obituaries:
Rubric:
Biography Project
Biography
Reading
(KWL)
Diary Entries
Birth
Certificate
Timeline
Biography
Bottle
Needs Improvement
Acceptable
Accomplished
1
3
5
Student’s work shows
incomplete
understanding of the
biography and did not
complete the KWL chart.
Student’s work shows
slight understanding of
the biography and
partially completed the
KWL chart.
Student’s work shows
complete understanding
of the biography and
completed the KWL
chart.
Entries are not clearly
written or not written at
all. Entries do not reflect
the life of the subject.
Some entries are missing
and do not meet length
requirements.
Entries are not clearly
written and are not
written in 1st point of
view. Some entries are
missing and do not meet
length requirements.
All entries are clearly
written in 1st person and
reflect the subject’s life.
Wrote at least 4 entries
and each entry is at least
2 paragraphs long.
Birth certificate is missing
more than 2 required
elements or was not
completed at all. Does
not resemble and actual
birth certificate.
Birth certificate is missing
1 or 2 required elements.
Does not resemble an
actual birth certificate.
Birth certificate includes
the subjects name, date
of birth, mother’s name,
place of birth, and
characteristics about the
subject. Resembles an
actual birth certificate.
Includes less than 15
timeline events. The
events did not occur
during the subject’s life
time and are not in
chronological order.
Includes 19 to 15
timeline events that
occurred during the
subject’s life time,
information is somewhat
accurate, and may not be
in chronological order.
Includes at least 20
timeline events that
occurred during the
subject’s life time,
information is accurate,
and in chronological
order.
Bottle person is
incomplete, sloppy, or
not done at all.
Bottle person is created
by with limited effort
(neatness, creativity, or
Bottle person is created
with neatness, creativity,
and accuracy.
accuracy).
Newspaper
Article
Created a Newspaper
article with limited effort
or did not create one at
all. Article does not
involve the subject and is
not accurate.
Created a Newspaper
article, but with limited
effort. Article involves
the subject, but may not
be accurate.
Created a Newspaper
article that may have
appeared during the
lifetime of the subject.
Events are accurate and
involve the subject.
Picture
Collage
Created a picture collage
that does not represent
the subject’s life or did
not create a collage at
all. Included less than 5
pictures.
Created a picture collage
that somewhat
represents the subject’s
life. Included 9 to 5
pictures.
Created a picture collage
that accurately
represents the subject’s
life. Included at least 10
pictures.
Poem is not written
about the subject.
Includes less than 3
stanzas. Visually looks
messy.
Poem is written about
the subject. Includes less
than 3 stanzas. Does not
visually look like a poem.
Poem is written about
the subject or their life.
Includes 3 stanzas and
visually looks like a
poem.
Obituary does not
include any of the
subject’s life
accomplishments. Does
not create a gravestone
to put the obituary on.
Obituary includes few life
accomplishments of the
subject. Does not create
a gravestone to put the
obituary on.
Obituary includes major
life accomplishments and
celebrates the life of the
subject. Student created
a gravestone to put the
obituary on.
People Poem
Obituary
Total points:_______/45pts.__
References
Adler, D. A. (2010). Frederick Douglass: A noble life. New York, NY: Holiday House.
bio. (2015). Frederick Douglass biography: Civil rights activist (c. 1818-1895). Retrieved
from http://www.biography.com/people/frederick-douglass-9278324.
Davidson, M. (1989). Frederick Douglass fights for freedom. New York, NY: Scholastic.
History.com. (2009). Emancipation proclamation. Retrieved from
http://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/emancipation-proclamation
Library of Congress. (1895). Douglass, Frederick (death) - Folder 34 of 34. Frederick Douglass
Papers at the Library of Congress. Retrieved from
http://www.loc.gov/resource/mfd.16006/?st=gallery
Lloyd Garrison, W.M. (1863, April 10). Refuge of oppression. The Liberator. Retrieved from
http://fair-use.org/the-liberator/1863/04/10/the-liberator-33-15.pdf
PBS. (2004). Slavery and the making of America: Time and place. Retrieved from
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/slavery/timeline/
Prince, A. J. (2014). Who was Frederick Douglass? New York, NY: Grosset & Dunlap.
White, D. (2009). Frederick Douglass: Great for of slavery. Social Studies for Kids. Retrieved
from http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/frederickdouglass1.htm