All events are free and you can sign up via our website and through Eventbrite. WELCOME We are delighted to welcome you to Originally planned as an in-person event to take place in #DouglassWeek 2021, an ambitious and 2020 (the 175th anniversary of Douglass’s arrival in Ireland), wide-ranging celebration of the great abolitionist #DouglassWeek has expanded to explore the range of Frederick Douglass’s visit to Ireland! connection and collaboration afforded by virtual platforms and events. The events outlined below showcase weeks and In late 1845, shortly after the publication of the bestselling months of planning and ideas to commemorate Douglass in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, a passionate, creative and thoughtful way, encompassing the its author began a tour of Ireland and Great Britain. For efforts of academics, artists, writers, musicians, educators, several months, Douglass, a formerly enslaved man who had community leaders and social activists. escaped from bondage in Maryland to become a leader of the movement to end slavery in the United States, travelled The #DouglassWeek event series consist of six different through the country. Douglass lectured to packed audiences strands: the Historical Strand, the Literary Strand, the in Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Cork, Limerick and Belfast, Educational Strand, the Music Strand, the Creative met with Daniel O’Connell (a major inspiration in his fight Strand and the Sports Strand. All strands consist of a against injustice), and reflected upon the devastating effects series of talks and “in conversation” events as well as other of the famine then beginning to sweep the nation. projects and initiatives from cities where Douglass spoke along with contributions from the United Kingdom and the To commemorate Douglass’s visit, students and researchers, United States. Some strands will also include interactive visual artists, educators, musicians, historians, poets, workshops open to the public. All events are online unless authors, singers and community groups from Ireland otherwise stated and free of charge. and beyond have responded to Douglass’s story with performances, visual art, music and more. Our programme We hope that you enjoy this extensive and diverse strives to highlight Douglass’s story and to emphasise the programme, and we invite you to explore Douglass’s journey continued importance of remembering slavery and the across the island by participating in these unique “Creative intertwined struggle for independence and liberation in Commemorations” from Douglass enthusiasts around the Ireland and the U.S. and as to develop a more nuanced and world. complex understanding of Ireland as we know it today. 1 OVERVIEW OF STRANDS The Historical Strand highlights the wide variety of The Educational Strand aims to make Frederick The Music Strand explores the significance of music to initiatives that focus on commemorating and expanding our Douglass’s story accessible to Irish students and the general Douglass’s life and presents new musical projects inspired understanding of Douglass and his time in Ireland. From public. The strand aligns with Douglass’s commitment to by his time in Ireland. This strand also sheds light on one of the second Douglass/O’Connell Address, to academic talks, equality, education and social justice, and offers parallels Douglass’s lesser-known achievements, connects Ireland to to city tours, to exhibitions, to gifts of “living memorial” from the 19th-century abolitionist movement to the present America through music, and offers new and accessible ways trees, to a Frederick Douglass symposium, the historical day. The events of this strand are guided by Douglass’s to communicate and commemorate Douglass’s message strand gives space and opportunity to explore the history of words: “It is easier to build strong children than to repair to twenty-first century audiences. While he was in Dublin, Frederick Douglass in Ireland. broken men.” From anti-racism workshops to academic Douglass recalls entering a music store and asking to look talks to the development of an Ireland-focused educational at a violin; the proprietor handed him one with “seeming curriculum, this strand connects the past and the present by reluctance,” but was subsequently amazed at Douglass’s Literary Strand The commemorates the importance sharing knowledge, expertise and educational resources. talent as he played songs including “Rocky Road to Dublin” of writing in Douglass’s life as well as the genres and and “The Irish Washerwoman.” forms in which he expressed his thoughts. Douglass was, according to biographer David Blight, a “man of words,” The Creative Strand places a special focus on visual and and his speeches and self-representation on the page were fine art. From film roundtables to individual performances The Sports Strand connects Douglass’s legacy of activism the key to his enduring global influence. This strand will and artwork creation, the initiatives of the creative strand with the work towards integration and equality taking consider Douglass through inspiration, representation and include newly commissioned art inspired by Douglass and place through sports in communities all around Ireland. commemoration. The events of this strand engage deeply a showcase of outstanding work created and performed by This connection takes place in partnership with the with literature and narratives, but also with the process and a variety of artists in Ireland and abroad. This strand will Football Association of Ireland, Unite the Union and Cobh intricate workings of writing and self-expression through consist of a series of artistic, visual arts, audio and audio- Ramblers Football Club in Cork, using the anniversary of the written word. visual performances, “in conversation” events, and creative Douglass’s visit as a focal point for a celebration of shared workshops. values. Participants will work in collaboration with the FAI’s Intercultural Football Programme, which aims to challenge racism within the game and increase the participation of people from diverse backgrounds in football (soccer). 2 OVERVIEW: #DOUGLASSWEEK HISTORICAL STRAND Monday, 8th, 3-6.30pm (GMT): Tuesday, 9th, 4pm (GMT): Friday, 12th, 4pm (GMT): Sunday, 14th, 8pm (GMT): Frederick Douglass, Abolitionism, Ireland and the Douglass and the British Isles: Talk by Dr. Hannah- The African American Irish Diaspora Network Our Strong Women: Closing Event: Panel Irish: Hosted by Dr. Adrian Mulligan (Bucknell University), Rose Murray who will explore Douglass’s experience in the (AAIDN): Roundtable discussion with members of the discussing the role of the strong women of Ireland, focusing on Frederick Douglass, abolitionism and a variety British Isles as a whole, including his little known 1859 trip network, highlighting their work and initiatives feminism, intersectionality and related topics, including of related themes. Speakers include Dr. Alasdair Pettinger, to the UK. This event will also include a ‘virtual tour’ where speakers Mary Robinson (former President of Ireland), Dr. Peter O’Neill, Dr. Bill Rolston, Dr. Paul Giles, Dr. Patricia Dr. Murray introduces certain places significant to Douglass Friday, 12th, 5pm (GMT): Nettie Washington Douglass (Frederick Douglass Ferreira, Dr. James S. Finley, Dr. Leigh Fought, Dr. Nilgun such as Dublin, Cork, Newcastle, Edinburgh and London , Douglass Day Transcribathon: Virtual event using Ireland Project/Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives), Anadolu-Okur and Dr. Jack Kaufman-McKivigan hosted by Kristin Leary (Frederick Douglass Ireland Project/ the “By The People” platform at the Library of Congress. Lord Mayor of Dublin Hazel Chu, Dr. Ebun Joseph Main Events Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives) We will transcribe the papers of Mary Church Terrell, (University College Dublin) and Emma Dabiri (SOAS Monday, 8th, 7pm-8pm (GMT): a foundational Black activist, educator, thinker and University of London) The Iveagh House Lecture: The Frederick Douglass/ Tuesday, 9th, 5pm (GMT): writer who helped to create Douglass Day in 1895. She Daniel O’Connell Address: Address by Bryan Stevenson Black Abolitionists in Cork: Presentation and discussion also helped found the National Association of Colored Initiatives (Equal Justice Initiative) followed by a panel conversation with Prof. Christine Kinealy (Quinnipiac University), hosted Women (NACW) and the National Association for the including Kenneth B. Morris Jr. (Frederick Douglass Ireland by Dr. Adrian Mulligan (Bucknell University) Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), hosted by Dr. Project/Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives), Niall Burgess Pre-recorded video messages from Orla Murphy (University College Cork) educators, politicians and family (Secretary General, DFA), Mark Durkan (John & Pat Hume Thursday, 11th, 5pm (GMT): Foundation) and a tribute to the late U.S. Congressman members, Slavery, Abolition and Empire: Ireland and Cuba: Sunday, 14th, 2pm (GMT): including the Lord Mayor John Lewis of Cork Joe Kavanagh, UCC Interim Panel including Dr. Margaret Brehony, Dr. Kerby Miller, Contextualizing Douglass’s Ireland - The world President Prof. John Halloran, the Lord Dr. Gera Burton and Giselle García González; hosted by Dr. in 1845-1847: A talk and presentation about the Tuesday, 9th, 3pm (GMT): Mayor of Dublin Hazel Chu, members Nuala Finnegan (University College Cork) world in 1845-1847, offering insight into relevant Curating Activism: Panel discussion on community of the Douglass family, representatives