Frederick Douglass

February of 2018 will mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of Frederick Douglass. An exact birth date is not known because Frederick Douglass was born a slave in Talbot County, Maryland, and no exact records exist. From a very early age, Frederick Douglass realized that he not only wanted his own freedom, but he also wanted freedom for all slaves. He went on to become a powerful speaker, a strong abolitionist, and an acclaimed author. He worked with Presidents Lincoln and Johnson to try to secure freedom for the slaves, as well as equal rights for African Americans and women.

To celebrate the life of this great man, we have created a song that speaks about the type of person he was. This song also gives you the opportunity to use some of the many great quotes from his speeches and writings. These quotes could be spoken by one, two, or more students. They should be read with thoughtfulness and great enunciation. Your speakers will need to pay attention to timing, as each quote should be read before the singing starts again at measure 29. You can use the quotes we've provided in the music or choose some others. You will find many in books and on the Internet. You might even consider putting quotes at the beginning or end of the song. And if you do a live performance, you could extend the song and fit in additional quotes, as well.

The song itself is fairly easy to learn. It's unison and is in an ABA form. The A sections are more subdued and thoughtful. The B section is swung and more easygoing. It has two verses and a section where the quotes are read. The accompaniment features a piano, guitars, banjo, flugelhorn, and strings. Again, you could do a live rendition if you want to alter the form and extend the song.

There are many cross curricular opportunities here, of course. The life and times of Frederick Douglass, African American history, the Civil War, the abolition movement, and much more. As with any topic that you can bring across the curriculum through the use of music, we recommend you communicate with other teachers to let them know of this useful musical tool.