Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) was a prominent nineteenth century abolitionist, orator, Minister to Haiti, U.S. Marshall and author. He purchased his Victorian home, Cedar Hill, on September 1, 1877. When it became a unit of the National Park Service, it was named the Frederick Douglass Home and later, the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site. The Site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is accredited by the American Association of Museums.
The museum collection, consisting of furniture, manuscripts, fine arts, and other materials, is one of the finest intact collections associated with an American historical figure. The collection as a whole has value beyond that of the individual objects, as they allow the exhibition of the home as it appeared during Douglass' lifetime.
Mr. Douglass' personal library comprises the most significant part of the park's museum collection. These objects are extremely important in understanding Douglass' life and work and provide a valuable visual impact for the visitor and researcher. The library collection includes books, magazines, ledgers, and other personal items associated with Douglass.
The park has a strong collection of original photographic prints which serve to document Douglass's life both at Cedar Hill and elsewhere. These photographs represent a valuable portion of the collection and are important in recreating the visual appearance of the historic site. The photographic collection also provides material for exhibits, publicity and documentation of the entire collection.
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Frederick Douglass: A Park in the Process |
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