The North Star was an abolitionist newspaper founded by the prominent African American activist Frederick Douglass in 1847. The newspaper played a crucial role in the fight against slavery and for the advancement of civil rights for African Americans.

Douglass chose the name "The North Star" because it served as a guiding light for runaway slaves seeking freedom in the North. The newspaper was known for its powerful editorials, articles, and essays that highlighted the injustices of slavery and advocated for the immediate abolition of the institution.

The North Star also promoted the rights of women and other marginalized groups, making it a groundbreaking publication at the time. It provided a platform for African American voices to be heard and for the movement towards equality and justice to gain momentum.

The newspaper ceased publication in 1863, following the Emancipation Proclamation and the end of the Civil War, but its impact on the abolitionist movement and the fight for civil rights lives on in Black history.