Frederick Douglass was born in 1818. He was enslaved in Talbot County, Maryland until 1838 when he emancipated himself and relocated to Massachusetts. He soon became a prominent orator, author, and activist. While his earliest public appearances took place at anti-slavery meetings, he soon became a fixture at the national movement of Colored Conventions and as one of the leading editors of the early Black press. He lived in Rochester, NY for many years. In 1870, he moved to Washington, DC where his home in Anacostia became a center of Black life. He continued to agitate for the rest of his life to secure Black civil rights, the rights of citizenship, and racial justice. He passed away in 1895.

Douglass left behind an extraordinary body of writing. He wrote autobiographies, edited newspapers, delivered countless speeches and wrote constantly for newspapers. Throughout his career, he was also a prolific letter writer. He maintained regularly correspondence with a stunning number and diversity of people.

You can learn more about Frederick Douglass by visiting our Douglass Day 2024 virtual display. Or check out the Douglass Day 2024 page!

Who was Mary Ann Shadd Cary?

"Mary Ann Shadd Cary (1823-1893) was an antislavery activist, educator, and lawyer as well as a newspaper publisher, editor, and journalist. She was the first Black woman to publish a newspaper, The Provincial Freedom, when she moved to Canada. Shadd Cary is also known for publishing the pamphlet, A Plea for Emigration; or Notes of Canada West, in Its Moral, Social, and Political Aspect, which encouraged African Americans to emigrate to Canada rather than remain in the United States." You can check out Mary Ann Shadd Cary: the Black Press and Protest in the Nineteenth Century in our library collection. Visit the Douglass Day Mary Ann Shadd Cary page to learn more.

What were the Colored Conventions and who attended?

The Colored Conventions were the nineteenth century’s longest campaign for Black civil rights. The first Colored Convention was held in Philadelphia in 1830 and the conventions continued until 1900. The last convention was held in Macon, Georgia. These conventions became a way for African Americans to address the violence that was aimed toward them at the time. Each convention had a different focus. Some of the topics discussed were education, labor, and social justice. The conventions were held in many states, usually at African Methodist Episcopal churches. For much more information on the conventions watch this Colored Conventions Project video.

We're so glad you've joined us for this event! Together we can learn about the long history of Black activism — including the important roles of Black women in the conventions!

Who was Mary Church Terrell?

Mary Church Terrell (1863-1954) was an African American activist, educator, and suffragist. Her career spanned teaching in the Jim Crow Era, marching for the vote, and picketing segregated restaurants in the 1950s. Terrell was born free during the Civil War in Memphis. Alongside lifelong collaborator Anna Julia Cooper, she graduated from Oberlin College in 1884. In 1896, she founded the National Association of Colored Women and served as its first president. Collaborating with diverse activists from Ida B. Wells to Susan B. Anthony, in the first half of the twentieth century, Terrell was a tireless agitator for women’s and civil rights. After nearly a century of activism, she lived long enough to see the Supreme Court rule against school segregation, the culmination of a life devoted to education and freedom. Transcribing Terrell’s papers provides a valuable window into the long, proud history of Black women’s activism. Visit the Douglass Day Mary Church Terrell page for more.

Who was Anna Julia Cooper?

Anna Julia Cooper (1858 – 1964) was a visionary black feminist leader, educator, intellectual, and activist. Born into slavery in 1858, she became the fourth African American woman to earn a doctoral degree when she received her PhD in history from the University of Paris-Sorbonne. A leader in 19th and 20th century black women’s organizing, she published what would become a foundational text of Black feminist thought, A Voice from the South by a Black Woman of the South, which argued for the central place of Black women in the battle for equal and civil rights. Visit the Douglass Day Anna Julia Cooper page to learn more.