The renowned abolitionist Frederick Douglass escaped slavery 1838, a year before photography’s invention. His first photographic portrait was made around 1841, and by the end of his life, he had become the most photographed American of the 19th century. Photography was vital to the abolitionist cause, and Douglass spoke often about the medium’s ability to truthfully document the horrors of slavery, negate racist stereotypes, and encourage self-determination. According to Douglass, because of photography, “Men of all conditions and classes can now see themselves as others see them, and as they will be seen by those [who] shall come after them.”