was a good father although he was often gone. His wife had their fifth child Annie. She was born in 1849. Unfortunately Rochester's public schools would not admit black students, so for Douglass's children school was private. But Douglass fought to end segregation in the Rochester school system. He got his wish for his children to go to school in 1857 when the school system allowed black students. Along with his fight for integration he was an important part of the underground railroad. After meetings with John Brown, Douglass started believing that pacifist means could not bring an end to slavery. During the mid-1850s, John Brown was the leader of one of the Free Soil bands fighting the proslavery forces in Kansas. He wrote for Douglass to join him but Douglass refused, but soon after John Brown raided Harpers Fairy, officials found the writings to Douglass and implemented him in the raids. After notified of the implementations Douglass decided to flee to Canada knowing that he stood little chance of a fair trial if he were captured and sent to Virginia. While in Canada, Douglass wrote letters in his own defense, justifying both his flight and his refusal to help Brown. Still fear of being arrested kept Douglass away. In November 1859, Douglass sailed to England again. He began a trip he had planned long before the incident at Harpers Ferry. But his lecture tour was cut short because his youngest daughter died in 1860, Douglass decided to go home. He was glad to be back with his family again. Even though he was happy to be with is family he knew that there were problems with up coming elections. Douglass decided to support Abraham Lincoln in the 1860 election. Lincoln won and then South rebelled. The North was fighting to preserve the Union and the South was fighting for the right to have slaves. For Frederick Douglass and the abolitionists, the war was a battle to end slavery. Douglass continued to fight with his speeches and newspa...
