DOINews: Help National Park Service Celebrate Life, Legacy of Frederick Douglass, Feb. 13-14

Join Frederick Douglass National Historic Site in celebrating Frederick Douglass' 197th birthday on Feb. 13-14, 2015. As part of the celebration, an actor will portray Frederick Douglass and deliver one of his most stirring speeches. Photo by NPS.

The birthday celebration is one of Frederick Douglass National Historic Site's signature events. At the opening ceremony, the Washington Revels' Jubilee Voices will present songs and stories of struggle and perseverance. Photo by NPS.

The National Park Service is celebrating the 197th birthday of Frederick Douglass on Feb. 13 and 14, 2015, with events at Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, the Anacostia Arts Center, the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum, the Islamic Heritage Museum and Cultural Center, and the Anacostia Playhouse. Park staff and community partners are excited to offer these inspiring programs to honor the memory of Frederick Douglass and connect his legacy to communities here in historic Anacostia.

The birthday celebration is one of Frederick Douglass National Historic Site's annual signature events featuring an array of programs and activities dedicated to increasing the public's knowledge of Douglass' life. This year's theme is "Frederick Douglass and Family," and the park has created event programming that will explore Douglass' family and help visitors connect to their own family stories. Bring photos and mementos to scrapbooking workshops and experts from the Ward 8 Arts and Culture Council will share creative ways to capture memories and preserve your family heritage. Tony Burroughs, genealogist and author of "Black Roots," will share his enthusiasm, knowledge, and methods for researching ancestry at a genealogy workshop.

Cedar Hill, the final estate of Douglass, interprets the life and legacy of one of our nation's civil rights heroes. This year, the birthday celebration will feature a house party at the Anacostia Arts Center, a walking tour of Douglass' Washington, and speeches from this year's oratorical contest winners*. The opening ceremony will take place on Saturday, Feb. 14, 10:30 a.m. at the Anacostia Playhouse. All programs are free and are open to the public. A more detailed description of the programs with their scheduled times and locations is available on-line at http://www.nps.gov/frdo/birthday-celebration.htm or you may contact the park at (202) 426-5961.

Frederick Douglass National Historic Site was entrusted to the National Park Service in 1962, but has been open to the public since the early 1900s. Frederick Douglass National Historic Site is located at 1411 W Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20020 and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Submitted by: Nate Johnson, park ranger, Frederick Douglass NHS, NPS
Feb. 13, 2014

Related story:

*NPS: Frederick Douglass National Historic Site Announces Winners of 2014 Oratorical Contest