Anna Murray was about her business. She was thriving long before she met her famous husband. Her story gets overshadowed, but he wouldn’t be the legend he is without her.
Frederick Douglass and Anna Murry met in Baltimore, possibly while attending the same church. Murray was the first child of her enslaved parents to be born free; she’d been working to provide for herself for years.
When she met her love, she was financially prepared to marry him, but first, he needed to get free.
During Douglass’ iconic escape from Baltimore to NYC, he wore the disguise of a sailor. Anna sewed the suit, and historians believe she likely paid for the train ticket, too.
Once wed, Anna brought everything they needed to begin their lives together, from a feather bed to dishes and cutlery. Frederick spent extensive time away giving speeches while Anna supported their family with earnings from mending shoes.
She navigated losing a child, hosting her husband’s colleagues, and even a house fire. In the midst of it all, she kept a dangerous secret.
The Douglass’ Rochester home was a stop on the Underground Railroad, an inherently risky move due to ruthless anti-Blackness.
Like Murray, too many women don’t get the flowers they deserve for upholding our communities. Everyone is vital to the liberation struggle, and a Black woman’s role should never go unnoticed.