Presented is a Frederick Douglass signed cut signature as part of a custom made card. Douglass was born, circa 1818, in Maryland, a slave state. His mother was African American and his father, believed to be the owner of the plantation where his mother was enslaved, was of European descent. Douglass was born with the last name Bailey, but later changed his name to Douglass, after the character, called Douglas, in a Walter Scott poem. Douglass lived in many places as a child, and on one of the Maryland plantations where he resided, he was schooled in reading and writing by Sophia Auld, the wife of the owner. 

Douglass escaped slavery by riding a train, dressed in the sailor's uniform of a freed African American and carrying the man's papers designating him as a free man. Douglass made his way to Philadelphia, an important abolitionist city, and then to New York City. Eventually, Douglass became a writer and famous public speaker. He met with slave owners in attempts to obtain the abolition of slavery, and radical abolitionists criticized him for it. Douglass replied, "I would unite with anybody to do it right and nobody to do it wrong." In his writing in newspapers, books, and pamphlets, Douglass agitated for human rights in many ways. He pushed for equal rights for women, for land reform, for temperance, for free public education, etc. He was an advocate for African American rights, before, during, and after the American Civil War. He passed away in 1895. Near the end of his life, a young, African American man asked for advice on how to continue the civil rights struggle. Douglass replied, "Agitate. Agitate. Agitate." 

The offering measures approx. 2.4x3.5". The front of the beige card, trimmed in a gold color, reads, "Frederick Douglass" and has an image of the great civil rights leader. The signature of Douglass is displayed in a recessed area measuring approx. 0.75x2.3". Writing in black ink from a dip pen, Douglass signed, in neat, flowing script, as "Fred. - Douglass." The back of the card shows a different Douglass image and has a machine stamped, "One of One." The card comes with a JSA LOA (Cert. Number: YY79374). This unique offering is in EXCELLENT condition.