Censorship Quote Frederick Douglass Free Speech

This famous quote by Frederick Douglass, an American hero and leader, reminds us that censorship hurts and is an insult to everyone: “To suppress free speech is a double wrong. It violates the rights of the hearer as well as those of the speaker.” A little more about Frederick Douglass: "Frederick Douglass was born into slavery. At the risk of death, he taught himself, and many others, to read and write. Once free, he continued to lead, establishing the newspaper "The North Star" and advising both presidents Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson. In his plea for freedom of speech, Douglass said, "The Founders valued free speech above all; it is the key to making society better, preventing tyranny, and ending slavery. No right was deemed by the fathers of the Government more sacred than the right of speech." Photo used under public domain rights. Design and bio by Amanda Renee, CtrlZ Digital Designs 2025