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Photography and the secret of Frederick Douglass' power

Frederick Douglass, who was born into slavery and became an influential orator, writer and intellectual, was the most photographed person in America in the 19th century. Nancy Giles explores how Douglass used the early photographic medium to promote the cause of abolition.

Published June 28, 2026, 2:12 PM
Updated June 28, 2026, 2:40 PM2.4K
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Photography and the secret of Frederick Douglass' power

Frederick Douglass, who was born into slavery and became an influential orator, writer and intellectual, was the most photographed person in America in the 19th century. Nancy Giles explores how Douglass used the early photographic medium to promote the cause of abolition.

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