Walking In Frederick Douglass’ Footsteps An Extraordinary Life n American icon, Frederick A Douglass became famous for his 1818 Born into slavery in oratory skills, his dedication to the Maryland. Given name abolishment of slavery, and for “Frederick Augustus being a fervent defender of equality Washington Bailey” for all. He was born into slavery in Maryland, escaped around age 20, 1827 Taught how to read by his and spent the rest of his life owner’s wife, Sophia Auld advocating for oppressed people in 1838 Escaped the bondage of the United States and around the slavery, married and settled in world. Douglass visited Nantucket New Bedford, MA five times. His career as a public speaker was launched on the island

1841Spoke to an integrated during his first visit in 1841. audience for the first time at Nantucket businessman William C. the Nantucket Atheneum Coffin was an abolitionist who also 1845 First autobiography worked in New Bedford. In 1841, population lived. At the urging of published, Narratives of the Coffin invited Douglass to the famed abolitionist William Lloyd Life of Frederick Douglass island’s first anti-slavery convention Garrison, Douglass spoke at the anti after he “heard him (sic) speak 1845 Left America for Ireland -slavery convention held in the before a black assembly in a little Nantucket Atheneum’s Great Hall & England to avoid capture school house and church on Second on August 11,1841. It would be his 1846 Became a free man when Street in New Bedford,” (Farr & first address to a mostly white English supporters purchased Burne, 1991). audience. his freedom from the Aulds Still a fugitive slave, Douglass’ first He also visited in 1842, 1843, 1850, 1847 Began publishing the trip to Nantucket was fraught with and 1885. Each time Douglass North Star, an abolitionist racial tensions before the boat left lectured at the Nantucket newspaper New Bedford. “Captain Lot Phinney Atheneum, he enjoyed the sincere [refused] to leave the dock until the sympathy and goodwill of residents 1848 Gave a speech at the first black passengers aboard the here. On the final visit of 1885, he Women’s Right Convention in Telegraph [agreed] to take separate revealed with deep sentiment that Seneca Falls, NY quarters from the white passengers he “had not come to ask a hearing, … [but] a compromise is but to stand once more on the 1872 Ran for Vice President on reached,” (Farr & Burne, 1991). Equal Rights Party ticket island of Nantucket,” (Kelley, Once landed, “When Coffin spots 2017). 1889 Served as US resident Douglass disembarking among the minister & consul general to crowd, he makes his way toward Haiti for two years him to welcome him, defying the unwritten rule of social separation

1895 Frederick Douglass died of the races,” (McFeely, 1991). on February 20th During that trip, Douglass would have likely been invited to the homes of abolitionists and spent time with families of New Guinea, where most of the island’s black African Meeting House Imagine…

Nantucket’s 1800s landscape: unpaved roads, no sidewalks, horses and carriages, the downtown aroma of the world’s whaling capital.

Douglass’ impression of black prosperity on Nantucket as he visited with black whaling captains, homeowners, and businessmen.

Island gender and racial dynamics in an atmosphere of progressive thinking that advocated for women's rights and an end to Nantucket Atheneum slavery. Walking In Frederick Douglass’ Footsteps

3 1 [1] Steamboat Wharf: The Tele- graph steamboat with Douglass on board most likely docked here. Formally New North Wharf. 2 [2] 1 India Street, Nantucket Atheneum: On August 11, 1841 Frederick Douglass spoke in front of his first “mixed race” audience at age 23. Douglass later wrote of the event, “It was with the ut- most difficulty that I could stand 4 erect, or that I could command and articulate two words without 8 hesitation and stammering.” 7 5 [3] 43 Centre St., David Joy House*: Co-founder of the Nan- tucket Atheneum, Joy was an ac- tive abolitionist and invited Douglass to the island. The two shared a special friendship for the rest of their lives. [4] 11 Orange St., Unitarian Church: On August 16, 1885 Douglass spoke before another large crowd. Even before the ser- vice began, the aisles and gallery 6 were at full capacity. There Douglass said, “If you es- [6] 29 York St., African Meeting [8] 95 Main St., Catherine & Mat- tablish a schoolhouse in every val- House: Douglass visited Nantuck- thew Starbuck House*: It was ley throughout the South and send et’s New Guinea neighborhood here that Anna Gardner gave a a minister from every religious during all of his trips. There, the reception for Douglass on his final denomination in the land among African Meeting House was the visit to Nantucket. August 22, them, it would not atone for the primary gathering place of the is- 1885 Inquirer and Mirror described injury you have done by 250 years land’s black residents and it is it as a “brilliant affair attended by of bondage; it isn’t fair to leave presumed that Douglass spoke about one hundred and fifty invit- us alone; you should make a pro- here as well. ed guests, largely representing the vision for education. Massachu- intellectual element of the is- [7] 100 Main St., Eliza & Na- setts men are doing it today. For land… The evening is pleasantly thaniel Barney House*: The Bar- myself, I am profoundly grate- enjoyed, and a collation is served neys were deeply involved in the ful.” of ice cream and cake.” anti-slavery movement and wel- [5] 30 Orange St., Sherburne comed to their home many of the House*: Sherburne House was movement’s leaders, such as Wil- Unitarian Church originally a captain’s house but it liam Lloyd Garrison, Frederick was later converted into a hotel. Douglass, Charles Sumner, and On August 15, 1885, Frederick Horace Mann. Douglass and his second wife, Hel- en Pitts Douglass, checked into *PRIVATE RESIDENCE the hotel during his final trip to PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB Nantucket.