Was frederick douglass gay

In reality, Helen and Frederick were 21 years apart. Criticisms from both white people and Black people targeted the interracial nature of the marriage. Interracial marriage, especially between a Black man and a white woman, was controversial and rare in America’s predominantly white society.

Douglass and Murray remained married for 44 years until her death in Two years later, Douglass broke another marriage equality barrier when he married the white feminist Helen Pitts. Douglass understood himself to be mixed race as the child of his slave mother and a white slave owner, although no written records document his birth.