Frederick Douglass described in his famous memoir how, when his master discovered his wife teaching their young slave Frederick to read, he chided her: “If you teach him how to read, he’ll want to know how to write, and this accomplished, he’ll be running away with himself.” This realization — that reading helps you escape — motivated Douglass to secretly learn. And it was the critical first step in his development into a renowned writer and orator, annunciating with firsthand clarity the evils of life as a slave.
Read Full Article »
