Final answer:
Frederick Douglass surmounted obstacles by educating himself in literacy, which played a crucial role in his eventual escape from slavery and his active participation in the abolitionist and women's suffrage movements.
Step-by-step explanation:
Frederick Douglass overcame many obstacles and barriers in his adult life. One significant way he did so was by pursuing education and learning to read and write, which equipped him with the means to articulate the brutal realities of slavery and advocate for abolition. Douglass's quest for literacy began early in his life and, by the age of 12, he was reading texts about the natural rights of human beings, which further cemented his desire for freedom. By age 20, with the help of his future wife Anna Murray, Douglass escaped slavery and eventually became a key figure in the abolitionist movement. After escaping, he published his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, which garnered widespread attention and required him to flee the United States temporarily due to threats on his life. Douglass's work as an activist included not just his contributions to ending slavery but also his support for women's suffrage.