Douglass’s three autobiographies, starting with Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, are landmarks of American literature and abolitionist rhetoric. A brilliant orator, he spent his life campaigning against slavery and for the rights of women and African Americans. He served as an advisor to Abraham Lincoln and held several government posts. His powerful prose and unwavering commitment to justice made him one of the most influential figures of the 19th century.