The North Star

Frederick Douglass is one of the most well-known abolitionists in American history. Douglass himself escaped slavery and used his freedom to help free slaves and bring an end to slavery altogether. Douglass helped end slavery utilizing his newspaper, “The North Star.” Douglass was able to find the money to start the newspaper by going on tour in Britain. He started the newspaper in Rochester, NY, one of the last stops in the underground railroad before Canada. The name “The North Star” comes from the star Polaris, which is what slaves followed to escape slavery.

The newspaper was able to help give freedom to the slaves and to help start abolitionist movements. The North Star was read by more than 4,000 readers in America and many other countries. One of the first editions stated, "To millions, now in our boasted land of liberty, it is the STAR OF HOPE." Douglass stresses the fact that the country was built on the idea of liberty and that this newspaper helps bring liberty to the slaves. 

The North Star soon merged with The Liberty Party Paper to form “The Frederick Douglass’ Paper.” In the first edition, it stated, “Much joy is expressed that you have settled down upon the anti-slavery interpretation of the federal Constitution." They had very different views than the anti-slavery paper, The Liberator, and different views than the anti-slavery public. “The Frederick Douglass’ Paper” actually accepted the constitution to support anti-slavery while “The Liberator” and the “Anti-Slavery Society” did not. Douglass started this paper as a weekly paper but it turned into a monthly paper during the Civil War. During that time, Douglass used the paper to help gain the acceptance of black troops and to help recruit people for the war.

Frederick Douglass soon stepped back from “The Frederick Douglass’ Paper” and became editor and renamed a paper “The New National Era.” This paper gave Douglass the platform to criticize the Ku Klux Klan. The paper also focused on topics such as reconstruction, Republican politics, and it addressed issues within the black communities. Douglass soon bought the company to help the paper keep going and gave the company to his two sons to carry it on. 
While Frederick Douglass was living in Washington, D.C., his house burned down and it was in this fire that all of the family members survived, but a lot of Fredericks's belongings were destroyed. 16 volumes of The North Star was lost as well.