Frederick Douglass's life was so incredible that it took him three autobiographies to tell the whole story. His life as a slave and his daring escape are just two chapters. He was also a famous abolitionist and women's rights supporter. This biography uses Douglass's own writings in describing the key events in his life. Primary source materials shed light on key issues of the Civil War era and beyond. Historical photographs, sidebars, and fact boxes add even more relevant information about the era.