My Bondage and My Freedom, Chapter 20 summary
Chapter 20 of 34 · 19 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 20, Frederick returns to Baltimore, survives a violent shipyard assault, and finds that the authorities refuse to act without white witnesses. He becomes a skilled caulker and joins an intellectual society, but Hugh Auld’s seizure of his wages makes improved circumstances deepen rather than ease his opposition to slavery.
What happens
- Frederick returns to Baltimore after threats against his safety, while his former companions remain with their enslavers.
- His childhood closeness with Thomas Auld, Junior, gives way to separation as their unequal positions become more pronounced.
- At William Gardiner’s shipyard, racial hostility among white workers leads four apprentices to attack and seriously injure Frederick.
- Hugh Auld seeks legal action, but Esquire Watson requires white witnesses, and none come forward.
- Frederick recovers, learns caulking at Walter Price’s yard, earns skilled wages, and takes part in an intellectual society.
- Hugh takes all Frederick’s earnings, strengthening Frederick’s dissatisfaction and his argument that slavery depends on suppressing thought.
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Why does Watson refuse to issue a warrant against Frederick’s attackers?
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“My Bondage and My Freedom, Chapter 20 summary.” Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/pages/my-bondage-and-my-freedom-chapter-20-summary.
Library of Alexandria. (2026). My Bondage and My Freedom, Chapter 20 summary. https://libraryofalexandria.com/pages/my-bondage-and-my-freedom-chapter-20-summary
“My Bondage and My Freedom, Chapter 20 summary.” Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/pages/my-bondage-and-my-freedom-chapter-20-summary.
@misc{my_bondage_and_my_freedom_chapter_20_summary_2026,
title = {My Bondage and My Freedom, Chapter 20 summary},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/pages/my-bondage-and-my-freedom-chapter-20-summary}
}
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