Frederick Douglass: A Slave's History of the SlavesAfter the American Revolution, slavery became a more important part of the American economy. Due to the materialism of many slave owners, slaves were overworked and treated callously. One of these slaves was Frederick Douglass. For most of his life, Douglass was trapped in a typical slave environment. However, Douglass taught himself to read and eventually escaped the desolate life of a slave. After his freedom, Douglass wrote his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, which tells the story of his life. In his book, Douglass details his upbringing as a slave and how it affected him. His autobiography was incredibly comprehensive, which is part of the reason it was considered accurate. Additionally, Douglass's life story furthered the abolitionist cause. His reasoning about the effects of slavery on whites is an example that advanced abolitionist causes. Most slaves were treated inhumanely and grew up uneducated. In fact, it was inappropriate to teach a slave to read. Therefore, when the biography of Frederick Douglass was published, many questioned whether it was valid due to Douglass's unexpected literacy. Not only were slaves deemed unintelligent, but the stories Douglass described seemed unbelievable and exaggerated. John Blassingame noted, “Journalists have fabricated many 19th-century narratives, and true stories must compete with fiction that exhibits the truth” (x). Douglass was very aware of this fact and he implemented several means to establish his credibility. One solution was to have his face on the cover and his signature underneath. This proved that he was literate. Probably the most corroborating evidence was that Douglass used the middle of paper ... the eye, under the influence of slavery, eventually turned red with rage; this voice, made of sweet agreement, changed into a voice of harsh and horrible discord; and this angelic face gave way to that of a demon” (31). The stories in the narrative were very sad and therefore may have helped the abolitionist cause. Many people initially believed the stories to be false, but this myth quickly disappeared. Douglass risked his life telling the story of slavery. His stories were instrumental in sparking the abolitionist movement. John Blassingame makes a good point about Douglass saying, “by jeopardizing his very safety as a fugitive in order to rebuild the credibility of slavery.” The story of American slavery, no other as dramatically as Douglass's, has integrated both the horror and the great quest of the African American experience into this profound current of American autobiography. » (xli).