The newly incorporated Cazenovia Heritage organization has announced its plans for “A Remembrance of the 1850 Fugitive Slave Law Cazenovia Convention” to be held on Saturday, August 21st, at the Cummings Theatre in Cazenovia, Madison County, NY.
This conference will feature retired Madison County Judge Hugh C. Humphreys, who will share his research for his 1994 publication “Agitate! Agitate! Agitate!” The Great Fugitive Slave Law Convention and its Rare Daguerreotype, of which the Madison County Historical Society has ordered new printings for the August occasion.
Beginning at 2 pm, Humphreys will describe the discovery of the now famous image of the abolition meeting at 9 Sullivan Street in Cazenovia on August 21st and 22nd, 1850. The discovery of the daguerreotype at the Madison County Historical Society put Humphreys on the trail of the picture and the history that it represents for the country. His PowerPoint presentation will illustrate the national situation which caused Gerrit Smith and Frederick Douglass to organize the Cazenovia meeting, Humphreys will also explain his travels to gather the sources of information.
The Cazenovia College Cummings Theatre location was the site of the Free Congregational Church of Cazenovia which was incorporated in 1833. The site was placed on the Madison County Freedom Trail in 2006 due to the anti-slavery activities of the church including the initial site for the convention. The church burned in 1895. Guided tours of sites involved in the convention will be conducted following Humphreys’ presentation.
The Cummings Theatre is located at 18 Lincklaen Street, Cazenovia. For more information, visit the Cazenovia Heritage website or email info@cazheritage.org.
Photo of Madison County Historical Society daguerreotype of the 1850 Cazenovia Convention courtesy Madison County Historical Society.
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