Frederick Douglass: “Races that fail to do these things die politically and socially, and are only fit to die.”

Slavery had no recognition of fathers, as none of families.

I wished it was possible I could remain small all my life, knowing that the sooner I grew large the shorter would be my time to remain with them.

Father he might be, and not be husband, and could sell his own child without incurring reproach, if in its veins coursed one drop of African blood.

The friendless and hungry boy, in his extremest need, found himself in the strong protecting arms of his mother.