Frederick Douglass 1818 – 1895 was an American abolitionist, editor, orator, author, statesman and reformer. Called "The Sage of Anacostia", Douglass was among the most prominent African-Americans of his time, and one of the most influential lecturers and authors in American history. 

His most well-known work is his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, which was published in 1845. Critics frequently attacked the book as inauthentic, not believing that a black man could possibly have produced so eloquent a piece of literature. The book was an immediate bestseller and received overwhelmingly positive critical reviews. from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.