The majority of slave owners in America prohibited their slaves from learning to read or write because they feared slaves would use these skills to resist or escape oppression. One of the most extraordinary figures in history proved them right: Frederick Douglass, who was born a slave and would go on to become America's leading abolitionist. After making an amazing escape from slavery, Douglass settled in Massachusetts, where his improvised speeches on the evils of slavery caught the ear of local abolitionists. William Lloyd Garrison, a prominent New England abolitionist, hired Douglass to give a series of talks that led to Douglass becoming a well-known and respected figure in the anti-slavery movement. Douglass would go on to counsel Abraham Lincoln during the war while also recruiting African-American soldiers to fight for the Union.

William Lloyd Garrison would most likely agree with which of these statements?

A. Frederick Douglass should be jailed for fleeing the South.

B. Frederick Douglass was proof that slaves should not be taught to read or write.

C. While Frederick Douglass’s escape was amazing, he played no role in the larger abolitionist movement.

D. Frederick Douglass was an impressive man who could play a crucial role in the fight to end slavery.