Frederick Douglass was born an American slave. In his teenage years he taught himself to read. Before long Frederick was teaching his fellow slaves how to read the New Testament. This was not looked well upon.The beatings that followed nearly broke him, but instead he resolvedupon escape. After a number of unsuccessful attempts, Douglass escaped to the northern states.He quickly became a public figure in the abolitionist movement. This is the first book Douglass wrote on his life and the subject of slavery. It documents his early life, his escape to the north, and his early career as an abolitionist.