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| | NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE
OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS, AN AMERICAN SLAVE. WRITTEN BY HIMSELF.
1849
Courtesy of Library of Congress, General Collections Division |
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African Americans lacked educational opportunities and
in some areas were forbidden from learning to read and write by the law.
As a result, many African Americans gained literacy through
non-traditional means. In this passage from his autobiographical
account, Douglass recalls his youthful determination to learn to write
and explains a variety of inventive strategies he employed to fulfill
that goal.
one day find a good chance. Meanwhile, I would learn to
write.
The idea as to how I might learn to write was suggested to me by
being in Durgin and Bailey's shipyard, and frequently seeing the ship
carpenters, after hewing, and getting a piece of timber ready for use,
write on the timber the name of that part of the ship for which it was
intended. When a piece of timber was intended for the larboard side, it
would be marked thus--"L." When a piece was for the starboard side, it
would be marked thus--"S." A piece for the larboard side forward, would
be marked thus--"L. F." When a piece was for starboard side forward, it
would be marked thus--"S. F." For larboard aft, it would be marked
thus--"L. A." For starboard aft, it would be marked thus--"S. A." I soon
learned the names of these letters, and for what they were intended when
placed upon a piece of timber in the ship-yard. I immediately commenced
copying them, and in a short time was able to make the four letters
named. After that, when I met with any boy who I knew could write, I
would tell him I could write as well as he. The next word would be. "I
don't believe you. Let me see you try it." I would then make the letters
which I had been so fortunate as to learn, and ask him to beat that. In
this way I got a good many lessons in writing, which it is quite
possible I should never have gotten in any other way. During this time,
my copy-book was the board fence, brick wall, and pavement; my pen and
ink was a lump of chalk. With these, I learned mainly how to write. I
then commenced and continued copying the Italics in
[Page] 44
Webster's Spelling Book, until I could make them all without looking on the book.
By this time, my little Master Thomas had gone to school, and learned
how to write, and had written over a number of copy-books. These had
been brought home, and shown to some of our near neighbors, and then
laid aside. My mistress used to go to class meeting at the Wilk Street
meetinghouse every Monday afternoon, and leave me to take care of the
house. When left thus, I used to spend the time in writing in the spaces
left in Master Thomas's copy-book, copying what he had written. I
continued to do this until I could write a hand very similar to that of
Master Thomas. Thus, after a long, tedious effort for years, I finally
succeeded in learning how to write.
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