Date: February 8, 2017
Contact: Emily Linroth, 202-619-7156
The National Park Service will celebrate the 199th birthday of Frederick Douglass on February 17 and 18, 2017, with events at Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, the Anacostia Arts 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 the Arts." The park has created event programming that will explore the importance of the visual, performing, and culinary arts in Douglass’ life. Learn the art of historic photography by sitting for your own tintype portrait. Bring your dancing shoes for a dance workshop on the evolution of African-American dance lead by Dr. Tamara Brown of Bowie State University. Listen to Douglass reenactor, Darius Wallace, perform some of the works by Shakespeare that influenced Douglass' speeches and writings.
Cedar Hill, the final estate of Frederick 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, presentations and kids' activities, and speeches from this year’s oratorical contest winners. The opening ceremony will take place on Saturday, Feb. 18, 10:15 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 online at www.nps.gov/frdo 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 NHS is located at 1411 W St SE, Washington, DC 20020 and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
