Inside the Vault: Frederick Douglass: Advocate for Equality

Most people know Frederick Douglass as an abolitionist, but his fight for equality did not end after the Thirteenth Amendment. In the February 18, 2021 session of Inside the Vault, educator Mandel Holland and Hamilton cast member Marcus John join us as we examine four documents written by Frederick Douglass during the 1870s and 1880s that exemplify his fight against the rise of the Jim Crow era.

Click here to download the slides from the presentation.

Classroom-ready resources for the documents presented

Use the timestamps below to jump to the documents you want to view

  • Autobiographical Sketch of Frederick Douglass: 4:09–11:54
  • Frederick Douglass’s speech at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier: 11:54–20:22
  • Frederick Douglass’s letter to Thomas B. Pugh: 20:23–37:30
  • Frederick Douglass’s letter to unknown recipient: 37:30–56:08