Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in 1818. His childhood, up until age 12, was spent on a plantation that may have been owned by his father. When he was 12, he moved to a house where one of the owners started teaching him how to read and write. This sowed the seeds for Douglass' later love of books and writing. In fact, it was through reading that Douglass' opposition to slavery began to form. When he grew older, he started teaching other slaves how to write and read, often through religious works. His classes were very popular, as many slaves were eager to become literate. About four or five years later, after two escape attempts, Douglass finally managed to escape slavery. Aided by his future wife Anna Murray, Douglass ran all the way from Maryland to New York. Once Frederick was a free man, he did not stop inspiring other slaves. He went to abolitionist meetings and subscribed to William Lloyd Garrison's newspaper The Liberator. Throughout the remainder of his life, Douglass was urged to, and eventually did, write several autobiographies and biographies. He also supported other abolitionist movements such as women's rights. Douglass passed away February 20, 1895.