Frederick Douglass

Slavery is a system of fraud and blood.

I contend that the Negro, as a man, can and ought to be a voter, and if he cannot be one, his condition is not removed from that of a chattel.

The American people have always been anxious to know what they shall do with us... I have had but one answer from the beginning. Do nothing with us! Your doing with us has already played the mischief. Do nothing with us! If the Negro cannot stand on his own legs, let him fall. All I ask is, give him a chance to stand on his own legs!

Agitate, agitate, agitate!

I have not, and never had, any desire to be a white man, but I have a desire to be a man, and to be treated as a man.

The American people are a nation of liars.

I look upon the Constitution as a glorious liberty document.

It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.

The highest function of a citizen is to question authority.

Truth is of no color, country, or creed. It is universal.

The greatest crimes against humanity are not committed by criminals, but by those who stand by and do nothing.

The American people have always been anxious to know what they shall do with us... I have had but one answer from the beginning. Do nothing with us! Your doing with us has already played the mischief. Do nothing with us! If the Negro cannot stand on his own legs, let him fall. All I ask is, give him a chance to stand on his own legs! Let him alone! If you see him on his way to school, let him alone. If you see him on his way to church, let him alone. If you see him on his way to the ballot-box, let him alone. Don't meddle with him. Don't proscribe him. Don't strike him. Let him alone! He has been petted long enough by your doing with him.

I am not an African, I am an American.

The Republican party is the ship; all else is the sea.

It is not the man that is in fault, but the system.

I am a slave, you are a slave, and I will be free.

The white man’s religion is a lie.

I have no faith in any solution of the race problem which does not make the black man a full and equal citizen.

The very best thing for the black man is the very best thing for the white man.

I am not here to argue with you, but to tell you what I know.