Today, we commemorate the life of Frederick Douglass on (what is believed to be) the 206th birthday of one of the country’s most famous Americans. Born in February 1818, the exact date of his birth is unknown, though he would regularly celebrate it on Feb. 14. He would become an orator, author, newspaper publisher, and one of the country’s most famous abolitionists. 

Most people are familiar with the story of Douglass. He’s not one of the obscure or relatively unknown historical figures that I previously covered in my Black History’s Heroes Series. Douglass played an integral role in ending slavery in the United States, forming the first all-black military units, and advancing civil rights for black people after the Civil War.