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Frederick Douglass

Whose Fourth of July?

February 9, 2022 by Liz Covart Leave a Comment

ben_franklins_worldOn July 5, 1852, Frederick Douglass delivered a speech to an anti-slavery society and he famously asked “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”

In this episode of Ben Franklin’s World, Martha S. Jones, the Society of Black Alumni Presidential Professor and Professor of History at Johns Hopkins University, and Christopher Bonner, an Assistant Professor of History at the University of Maryland help us explore Douglass’ thoughtful question within the context of Early America: What did the Fourth of July mean for African Americans in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries? [Read more…] about Whose Fourth of July?

Filed Under: History, Western NY Tagged With: Abolition, Fourth of July, Frederick Douglass, Podcasts, Political History, Slavery

The Color of Abolition: Douglass, Garrison & Maria Weston Chapman

February 1, 2022 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

the color of abolitonBook purchases made through this link support New York Almanack’s mission to report new publications relevant to New York State.

The new book The Color of Abolition: How a Printer, a Prophet, and a Contessa Moved a Nation (Mariner Books, 2022) by Linda Hirshman tells the story of the fraught alliance among Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison, and Maria Weston Chapman. [Read more…] about The Color of Abolition: Douglass, Garrison & Maria Weston Chapman

Filed Under: Books, History, Western NY Tagged With: Abolition, Black History, Frederick Douglass, Maria Weston Chapman, William Lloyd Garrison

‘Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl’: Harriet Jacobs in Orange County, New York (Conclusion)

January 6, 2022 by Paula Tarnapol Whitacre Leave a Comment

Gilbert Studios photograph of Harriet Jacobs 1894“The dream of my life is not yet realized…I still long for a hearthstone of my own.” (Harriet Jacobs in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (1861).

In 1852, Harriet Jacobs became legally free, but not independent as she yearned. She continued her job as nursemaid for the family of Nathaniel Parker Willis, then editor of the trend-setting magazine Home Journal and one of the country’s most famous authors. The needs of the Willises usually took precedence over her own.

When the family moved to Cornwall, in Orange County, NY, she went too. There, in fits and starts, over the course of more than five years, she wrote the book about her life still read today – Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. [Read more…] about ‘Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl’: Harriet Jacobs in Orange County, New York (Conclusion)

Filed Under: History, Hudson Valley - Catskills, New York City Tagged With: Abolition, Black History, Frederick Douglass, Orange County, Publishing, Slavery, womens history

The Last Days of John Brown: Black Soldiers

August 29, 2021 by John Warren 3 Comments

Kennedy Farm MarylandThe first week of September 1859 at the Kennedy farm, where John Brown (wearing a short beard as a disguise and using the name Isaac Smith) and his growing band were gathering, was a time of indecision and internal conflict. From Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, Brown’s previous hideout, arms and supplies were being brought by wagon. Those at the Kennedy farm had known that they were to attack Virginia, but when Brown told them the target would be a federal armory, several balked. [Read more…] about The Last Days of John Brown: Black Soldiers

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, History Tagged With: Frederick Douglass, John Brown, Slavery, The Last Days of John Brown

Anna Murray-Douglass: Frederick’s Most Important Ally

August 4, 2020 by Rose O'Keefe Leave a Comment

Anna Murray-DouglassI offer the following tribute to Anna Douglass, first wife of Frederick Douglass and mother of their five children, on the anniversary of her death Aug. 4, 1882:

Both Frederick Bailey and Anna Murray were born in rural Maryland in the early 1800s and grew up under harsh racist customs that strictly defined roles for men and women by sex, race and class.

By the time Frederick and Anna met in the 1830s in Baltimore, his owner valued him as a slave who was a skilled caulker. Yet Anna, despite being a free woman skilled as a domestic and cook, was not well paid by her white employers. [Read more…] about Anna Murray-Douglass: Frederick’s Most Important Ally

Filed Under: History, New York City, Western NY Tagged With: Abolition, African American History, Black History, Frederick Douglass, Lake Ontario, Monroe County, New York City, Political History, Rochester, Slavery, Underground Railroad, womens history

Whose Fourth of July?

July 1, 2020 by Liz Covart Leave a Comment

ben_franklins_worldOn July 5, 1852, Frederick Douglass delivered a speech to the Rochester, New York Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society and he famously asked “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”

In this episode of Ben Franklin’s World, we explore Douglass’ thoughtful question within the context of Early America: What did the Fourth of July mean for African Americans in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries?

[Read more…] about Whose Fourth of July?

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Capital-Saratoga, History, Hudson Valley - Catskills, Mohawk Valley, New York City, Western NY Tagged With: Benjamin Franklin, Black History, Fourth of July, Frederick Douglass, Podcasts, Political History

Frederick Douglass Biographer Wins Lincoln Prize

February 19, 2019 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

frederick douglass prophet of freedomGettysburg College and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History have announced that David Blight, author of Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom (Simon & Schuster), is the recipient of the 2019 Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize.

A noted Civil War historian, Blight is Class of 1954 Professor of American History at Yale University and directs the Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition at the MacMillan Center at Yale University. [Read more…] about Frederick Douglass Biographer Wins Lincoln Prize

Filed Under: Books, Events, History Tagged With: Frederick Douglass, New York City

Barbershop Conversations: Frederick Douglass in Newburgh

September 27, 2018 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Frederick DouglassStarting Thursday October 4, 2018, the Frederick Douglass in Newburgh project will host “Frederick Douglass: Barbershop Conversations”, a reading and discussion series developed and sponsored by Humanities New York.

Hosted at Newburgh barbershops, the public is invited to come together over the course of six sessions to discuss a variety of thematically linked texts facilitated by Gabrielle Hill Burton of The Restorative Center. The conception of the “Frederick Douglass: Barbershop Conversations” is directly inspired by Douglass’ visit to Newburgh in 1870 and the legacy on voter rights and civic engagement. [Read more…] about Barbershop Conversations: Frederick Douglass in Newburgh

Filed Under: Events, History, Hudson Valley - Catskills Tagged With: Frederick Douglass, Newburgh

Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Curriculum Offered

February 22, 2018 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Frederick DouglassTo celebrate the anniversary of Frederick Douglass’s 200th birthday, Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives has published a Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Curriculum.

Frederick Douglass was an African-American abolitionist, orator, writer, statesman, and social reformer. After escaping from slavery in Maryland he described his experiences in his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave (1845). [Read more…] about Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Curriculum Offered

Filed Under: History, Western NY Tagged With: Frederick Douglass, Lake Ontario, Monroe County, Rochester

Frederick Douglass’ 200th Birthday Celebration Set

February 12, 2018 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Frederick DouglassWomen’s Rights National Historical Park has announced they will hold a celebration of Frederick Douglass’ 200th Birthday on Saturday, February 17, 2018 at 2 pm.

Nathan Richardson and Melinda Grube as Frederick Douglass and Elizabeth Cady Stanton will discuss Mr. Douglass’ life-long battle for Women’s Rights, the relationship between the two historical giants, and the temporary halt of their relationship upon the passage of the 15th Amendment. [Read more…] about Frederick Douglass’ 200th Birthday Celebration Set

Filed Under: Events, History Tagged With: Frederick Douglass, Women's Rights NHP

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