, ▁cho pping ▁wood , ▁and ▁loading ▁and ▁un loading ▁ships — at ▁half ▁the ▁rate ▁of ▁pay . ▁He ▁then ▁obtained ▁a ▁steady ▁job ▁working ▁among ▁white ▁men ▁at ▁a ▁wh ale ▁oil ▁ref in ery . ▁He ▁became ▁a ▁moving ▁or ator , ▁inform ing ▁his ▁audience ▁about ▁the ▁horror s ▁of ▁sla very . ▁ ▁Business ▁own ers , ▁Nathan ▁and ▁Pol ly ▁Johnson ▁were ▁African - Amer icans ▁who ▁regularly ▁shelter ed ▁people ▁seeking ▁freedom ▁from ▁sla very ▁at ▁their ▁home . ▁Doug lass ▁and ▁his ▁family ▁stayed ▁with ▁the ▁Joh ns ons ▁from ▁ 1 8 3 8 ▁to ▁ 1 8 3 9 , ▁it ▁was ▁their ▁first ▁residence ▁after ▁esc aping ▁sla very . ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 8 4 7 ▁National ▁Convention ▁of ▁Col ored ▁People , ▁Nathan ▁was ▁elected ▁president . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁delegate ▁to ▁the ▁annual ▁convention ▁of ▁free ▁people ▁of ▁color ▁from ▁ 1 8 3 2 ▁to ▁ 1 8 3 5 . ▁ ▁African - American ▁abol ition ists ▁▁ ▁Thomas ▁Bay ne ▁( Sam ▁N ixon ) ▁ ▁Mar tha ▁B . ▁Brig gs ▁ ▁Joseph ine ▁Brown ▁ ▁Frederick ▁Doug lass ▁ ▁Frederick ▁Doug lass ▁Jr . ▁ ▁Thomas ▁James ▁( minister ) ▁ ▁Nathan ▁and ▁Pol ly ▁Johnson ▁ ▁Anna ▁Murray - D oug lass ▁ ▁Am elia ▁Pi per ▁ ▁William ▁Pi per ▁( abol ition ist ) ▁ ▁Jer em iah ▁Bur ke ▁Sand erson ▁ ▁George ▁Team oh ▁ ▁Lewis ▁Temple ▁ ▁Mary