Fredrick Douglas

Frederick Douglass disguised himself as a sailor and traveled overseas for almost 2 years. To avoid being captured and brought back into slavery. He fought for equality and Justice for his entire life. Frederick Douglass passed away on February 20th, of 1895. He stayed as a sailor and sailed around the open seas to avoid any harm to himself or others. Frederick Douglass only came back to the United States when they had an agreement that he would be free. Frederick did a speech tour to express his opinions about racial equality and women's rights. Frederick Douglass was working as a caulker in the Baltimore shipyards, pounding hemp into the seams of wooden ships and pouring it to make them waterproof. 

I chose this individual because he became a sailor to escape being brought back into slavery. Now today, there is about 16.9% of black sailors around the world today. Which has improved over the various amounts of years of more black sailors entering the Maritime Industry. Frederick Douglass has brought a major impact into the industry even today, having me and my peers able to work on tall ships, like Wavertree and Pioneer at the South Street Seaport Museum. Being able to know what he has accomplished for not just the people back then, but even the people now. 

Looking back at him gives people the inspiration to join the industry, become a sailor, engineer and so much more. Today in Baltimore, there are many more people that are able to work on these tall ships. It’s amazing to see that he was sailing for almost 2 years to escape all of this trouble. It’s something that is very unique and emphasizes a point that back then, rights weren’t equal, slavery was still in place. Nowadays you can see many more minority people in the maritime industry. It shows that he affected what he did to overcome what had happened in the past.

Jack Woish