WASHINGTON --Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne will lead other dignitaries in re-opening the Frederick Douglass Home in the nation’s capital on Feb. 14, marking the birthday of Douglass, a famous 19th-century African American spokesman. Other leaders participating in the re-opening ceremony will be Mary Bomar, Director of Interior’s National Park Service, which administers the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site;
Eleanor Holmes Norton, Delegate, U.S. House of Representatives; and Adrian Fenty, Mayor of the District of Columbia.
The National Park Service closed the 150-year-old home at Cedar Hill in 2004 for restoration and repairs. The Feb. 14 ceremony and tour is open to credentialed media. NPS is re-opening the site to the public for reserved tours on Feb. 15, 2007. Reservations can be made at www.recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777.
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WHO: | Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne; Eleanor Holmes Norton, Delegate, U.S. House of Representatives; Adrian Fenty, Mayor of the District of Columbia; Mary Bomar, Director of Interior’s National Park Service |
| WHAT: | Ceremony in heated tent followed by ribbon-cutting and press walk-through of Frederick Douglass Home. Student orators from Abelard Reynolds Elementary School, Wilson Foundation Academy and West High School, all in Rochester, NY, will recite portions of Douglass’ speeches. The NPS will unveil new, historically accurate interior and exterior paint changes, new wallpaper, carpeting and wood graining, an updated and improved heating and air-conditioning system, a new fire protection system, other repairs and improvements and new group tour procedures to enhance the visitor’s experience. |
| WHEN: | Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2007, 10:00 a.m. |
| WHERE: | 1411 W Street, S.E. Parking available on site for microwave or satellite truck parking only. News crew car parking available on adjacent streets. |
| OPEN TO CREDENTIALED MEDIA
WEATHER ADVISORY: Due to possible inclement weather forecast for Wednesday, Feb. 14th, a decision whether to cancel this event will be made based upon the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) direction for all federal workers to be given either on Tuesday evening, Feb. 13th or on Wednesday morning. The event will take place as outlined above only if the federal government is open for regular business Wednesday. If OPM announces either a delay in opening the federal government for up to two hours on Wednesday or if the federal government is closed on Wednesday, this event will be canceled. . | |