In September of 1838, Frederick and Anna Douglass arrived in New Bedford a mere 14 days after escaping Maryland, and Frederick’s enslavement. Among their possessions were three books. One of them, a hymnal called The Seraph, will return to New Bedford this fall.
Additionally, sometime after his arrival, Douglass purchased his first book, The Works of Robert Burns, probably in New Bedford. In 1869, Douglass gave the book to his son, Lewis, with the inscription, “from his affectionate father – Fredr—Douglass Oct. 15 1869.”
Join National Park Rangers and Autumn Haag, Archivist for Research & Collections at the University of Rochester, at 1:00 on September 8, International Literacy Day, for the opening of Frederick Douglass and Literacy. Thanks to generous loans from Frederick Douglass National Historic Site and The University of Rochester, and assistance from the New Bedford Whaling Museum, two books that witnessed almost mythical moments in American history will reunite in New Bedford. The exhibit will remain open daily 1–4 p.m. through October at the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park MakerSpace, 33 William St. Free admission. Accessible.
For more information, call the visitor center at 508-996-4095, go to www.nps.gov/nebe or visit the park’s Facebook page at http://www. facebook.com/NBWNHP.
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Click here to download the entire 8/30/18 issue: 09-06-18 OLOA Feast
