When and How to Pair:
Introduce "Letter from Frederick Douglass to Harriet Tubman" after students have read Chapter XI, after Douglass informs the reader why he has decided to not include details of his escape and criticizes the public nature of the Underground Railroad. Consider informing students that Tubman was an abolitionist who was a key member of the Underground Railroad movement, and that the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass was written before Douglass’s correspondence with Tubman. Ask students to consider his earlier criticism. Have students contrast this criticism with his letter, the references to his subsequent public work, and Tubman’s private profile. In retrospect, what kind of irony does the letter present? How has the public profile of Frederick Douglass caused his attitude to differ from his attitude as a newly-escaped, formerly-enslaved person?