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「水手通行證明」 (Seaman's
Protection Certificate) ，1854年
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道格拉斯的脫離奴隸身份計劃
與其他的黑人乘客相同，道格拉斯必須出示一張屬於他的「自由狀」 (free
papers：一張用來證明他已遭解放且可以四處旅行的文件) 及他的車票；因為道格拉斯是逃亡中的奴隸，所以他沒有自由狀；不過，他借用了一張名為「水手通行證明」 (Seaman's
Protection Certificate) 的證明單來證明身為水手的他是美國的公民。
當隨車服務員過來收票並仔細查看那張紙時，道格拉斯如下寫道他的緊張心情：「我的一生就完全掌握在那位隨車服務員的手中」。
Along with the other black passengers, Douglass had to show his "free papers"--a document proving he was free and could travel--along with his ticket. Because Douglass was a runaway slave, he didn't have free papers. Instead, he had borrowed what was called a Seaman's Protection Certificate, which proved that a sailor was a citizen of the U.S.
Douglass described his nervousness when the conductor came by to collect tickets and look over papers: "My whole future depended upon the decision of this conductor."
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