Annual Oratorical Contest

Every year, the National Park Service hosts an oratorical contest in the auditorium at the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site. All students ages 6 to 18 (grades 1-12) are welcome to participate. The goal of the contest is for students to experience the same transformative power of language that Frederick Douglass experienced as a young man by performing a part of a Douglass speech that they learn from memory before a panel of judges. This contest is open to students of all abilities. ASL interpreters or interpreters to translate ASL to English will be provided. We welcome students from across the country to apply!

This year’s contest will be held between November 17 - 21, 2026, with some students participating on-line and some in-person at the Frederick Douglass NHS Visitor Center in Washington, D.C. The first-place winners will be invited to perform their award-winning speeches at our annual Frederick Douglass Birthday event in Washington, D.C. in February 2027 or to present their speech at a program at the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site in July 2027. In addition, winners are awarded plaques and other prizes.

Contest Basics

*Please note that this video contains the contest dates from 2022.

 

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  Commercial for the 2022 Frederick Douglass Oratorical Contest

  This year's Oratorical Contest will have both a "virtual" and an "in-person" contest option and there will be ASL interpreters available so deaf and hard of hearing students can compete in the contest.

  Duration:

  7 minutes, 34 seconds

 

1. Choose a Speech

Frederick Douglass wrote and gave many speeches throughout his life and career. To make things a little more simple, we have selected four of his speeches for students to choose from, so before applying, you need to know which one of the four you will be reciting.

If you participated in the contest in 2025, you may not use the same speech that you gave in 2025.

What to the Slave is the Fourth of July? - Delivered July 5, 1852

Our Composite Nation - Delivered December 7, 1869

Frederick Douglass on Women's Suffrage - Delivered March 31, 1888

The Race Problem - Delivered October 21, 1890

See below ASL videos of Frederick Douglass speeches:

 

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  Signer Diego Guerra performs an excerpt of Frederick Douglass' speech, "Freedom in the West Indies"

  Duration:

  8 minutes, 12 seconds

 

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  Signer Zain Ahmed performs an excerpt of Frederick Douglass' speech, "The Race Problem".

  Duration:

  9 minutes, 43 seconds

 

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  Signer Tyler Fortson performs an excerpt of Frederick Douglass' speech, "What the Black Man Wants".

  Duration:

  8 minutes, 2 seconds

 

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  Signer Rosavetta Jackson performs an excerpt of Frederick Douglass' speech, "A Friendly Word to Maryland".

  Duration:

  5 minutes, 32 seconds

 

2. Complete the Application

Applications will be accepted beginning August 30th.

Complete the 2026 Frederick Douglass Oratorical Contest Application here.

Click to download the following information:
2026 Frederick Douglass Oratorical Contest Guidelines
2026 Frederick Douglass Oratorical Contest Rules

 

3. Memorize and Practice

Memorizing and practicing your speech is key to being an effective orator. Here are a few helpful links for learning how to memorize the lines from the Douglass speech you have selected.

17 Ways to Quickly Memorize Lines
6 Simple Tips for Memorizing Lines

Other Tips for Public Speaking

Schooled By Kids: Presentation Skills, Part 1
Schooled By Kids: Presentation Skills, Part 2

You can also get tips from "The Columbian Orator", a classic lesson book that Frederick Douglass used when he learned how to give speeches.

Another helpful way to learn is to watch others give talks or speeches. You can look online for speakers (like President Barack Obama) who are known for giving powerful speeches or watch a few TedTalks. When you watch these speeches or TedTalks, notice how the speaker uses body language, movement, emphasis, eye contact, etc. Here is an example of a TedTalk from a very engaging speaker:

Making Education Accessible to Deaf Children

The "Podium Points" series can help to teach you different aspects of great oratory. In the videos below, Thembi Duncan (a master from Ford's Theatre) and students from Oyster-Adams Bilingual School guide you through the physical, verbal, and mental skills of oratory. They also give you tips on how to practice your oratory with others.

 

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  Podium Points: Physical

  Overview of the physical points of good oration.

  Duration:

  3 minutes, 48 seconds

 

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  Podium Points: Vocal

  The vocal aspects of good oratory.

  Duration:

  4 minutes, 16 seconds

 

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  Podium Points: Warm/Cool Feedback

  How to give and receive feedback.

  Duration:

  3 minutes, 13 seconds

 

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  Podium Points: Performance Ready

  Preparing for the big day.

  Duration:

  5 minutes, 40 seconds

 

4. Deliver the Speech at the Contest

On the big day, you will recite the speech on a stage in a small auditorium at the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site. The audience is usually made up of judges, other students, and their families. The atmosphere is friendly, exciting, and inspiring.

Visit the Oratorical Contest Multimedia page to get an idea of what the oratorical contest looks and feels like.

 

Participants recite their speeches from a stage in a small auditorium at the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site.

NPS / N. Johnson