Frederick Douglass loved life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness—but he hated slavery. Douglass, a former slave, son, husband, father, abolitionist, author, orator and Christ follower, estimated to be born in 1818, selected February 14 as his date of birth because it was the last time he saw his beloved mother Harriet Bailey, a field hand—who gave him a heart-shaped ginger cake when he sat on her lap that day.

Douglass spent his formative years with his maternal grandmother Betsey Bailey who had the responsibility of raising enslaved children. He later went on to escape slavery to become a leading orator and writer for the anti-slavery movement in America. Douglass was also a licensed pastor and author of the anti-slavery newspaper, The North Star. The motto was, “Right is of no Sex—Truth is of no Color—God is the Father of us all, and we are all brethren.”

Because of Douglass’ masterful public speaking abilities, he is considered one of the most influential African Americans of the nineteenth century. He credited Jesus’ teaching as the motivation for his work to free slaves. In fact, he wrote about coming to faith in God while he was still a slave—in his book, “Life and Times of Frederick Douglass.”

Douglass used the Holy Bible to build a case against slavery, fought for equal citizenship and rose from slavery to the highest levels of American Society.

On his birthday, we salute his dedication to righteousness, justice, liberty and virtue—the values of the Douglass Leadership Institute. His hard-fought ideals are etched in these famous words:

Respect for Life. When I was treated exceedingly ill, when my back was being scourged daily, when I was whipped within an inch of my life, life was all I cared for. Spare my life was my continual prayer.”

Personal Responsibility. “If the negro cannot stand on his own legs, let him fall also. All I ask is that you give him a chance to stand on his own legs! Let him alone! Your interference is doing positive injury.”

Free Speech. To suppress free speech is a double wrong. It violates the rights of the hearer as well as those of the speaker. It is just as criminal to rob a man of his right to speak as it would be to rob him of his money.”

Economic Prosperity. “Money, if you please, will purchase for us the only condition upon which people can rise to the dignity of genuine manhood.” At the time of Douglass’ death, he had amassed $300,000 in savings—more than $10 million in today’s money.

Christianity. “I love the religion of Christianity—which cometh from above, which is pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of good fruits and without hypocrisy.”

Frederick Douglass’ life, legacy and famous words continue to impact us in this country and around the world.