Frederick Douglass's legacy on 250 years of American independence

250 years of American independence: Frederick Douglass, the former slave turned celebrity who skewered the Republic's hypocrisy

'America 250' (6/13). In April 1876, all of Washington's elite gathered to witness the unveiling of a statue of Abraham Lincoln emancipating enslaved people. The main speaker, Frederick Douglass, himself formerly enslaved and one of the most famous faces in the country, was known for directly challenging white Americans. A legendary speech he gave in 1852 proved just that.