Born into slavery in Maryland in the early 1800's, Frederick Douglass never knew his father and saw his mother only a handful of times. When Frederick was seventeen, the wife of his master innocently teaches him the alphabet. At a time when Black people were thought to be "without souls," Frederick Douglass became literate and taught many, many other slaves to read. From there, he became one of the greatest American orators, speaking out against injustices for many groups, creating an abolitionist newspaper, and serving as a political advisor and ambassador for the United States. Written as a stage play, this biography enhances straightforward dialogue with spirituals and detailed stage directions to move beyond the story of one remarkable man's accomplishments to represent the larger African American experience in 1830's America.

Born a slave, young Frederick Douglass endures many years of cruelty before escaping to the North to claim his freedom.