Dear editor,
Most people think Barack Obama was the first black presidential candidate, but he wasn’t!
In 1888, Frederick Douglass held that title. If there ever was a self-made man Frederick Douglass was that.
Born into slavery on a Maryland plantation in 1818, this proud young black man was determined to shape his own destiny. At 20, he braved a dangerous escape from slavery and become an abolitionist, reformer, orator, newspaper publisher, writer, political leader and government official.
Though he never became president, he was a personal adviser to several presidents, Abraham Lincoln among them. He was also a supporter of women’s rights. Like Lincoln, Douglass left a legacy in death: The ideal of freedom for all people.
There are lots of great Americans in history, even movie stars. John Wayne was certainly one. Movie stars can love America, too.
Sincerely,
Jim Brownrigg,
Iola, Kan.
