Frederick Douglass National Historic Site

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Frederick Douglass National Historic Site in Anacostia

The Frederick Douglass National Historic Site is located at 1411 W Street, SE, in Anacostia, Southeast Washington, D.C. The site preserves the residence of Frederick Douglass, one of the most prominent African Americans of the 19th century. Douglass lived in this house, which he named Cedar Hill, from 1877 until his death in 1895.[1] On September 5, 1962, the Frederick Douglass estate became a unit of the National Park Service and after many restorations, this site reopened to the public in February 1972.[2]

The center of the site is this historic house, which sits on a 50-foot hill and occupies eight acres of the original property. The house has been restored to its 1895 appearance and is furnished with original items by Frederick Douglass and other family members.[1]

Background

Frederick Douglass was born in 1818 in Talbot County, Maryland. He was an escaped slave and later became a famous activist, author, and public speaker. He became the leader of the abolitionist movement, which tried to end slavery before and during the Civil War. After that conflict and the publication of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1862, he continued to promote equality and human rights until his death in 1895.[3]

Frederick Douglass National Historic Site inside.jpg

The house was built between 1855 and 1859 and consisted of between 6 to 14 rooms. Douglass purchased the house in 1877 moved into the house with his first wife, Anna Murray Douglass, in 1878. Home improvements were carried out between 1877 and 1878. The original kitchen was changed into a dining room, and a new kitchen was added to the south wing. Upstairs, the partition separating the two rooms on the west side of the house was removed and replaced by two walls to create three smaller bedrooms. Eventually, during this period, the loft was completed with five additional rooms.

He and his family lived at Cedar Hill until his death on February 20, 1895. After his death, the house was converted into a 21-room mansion.

In 1900, at the urging of Helen Pitts Douglass, the United States Congress chartered the Frederick Douglass Memorial and Historical Association (FDMHA). After Helen died in 1903, FDMHA received the property. In cooperation with the National Association of Colored Women, FDMHA completed the first restoration of Douglas House in 1922. On September 5, 1962, Frederick Douglas Manor became a unit of the National Park Service. This house has been restored many times, in 1962, 1972, 1980 and most recent restoration lasted from 2004 to 2007.[2]

In addition to commemorating outstanding historical figures, the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site also showcases the characteristics of romantic cottages in a natural environment. Although the landscape has changed over time, it still retains most of its historical integrity. The location is one of the most important attractions in the country-when Douglass lived here, he was one of the most well-known and respected African Americans in Washington, DC, and the entire country. This site is operated today by the National Park Service and preserves Douglass's legacy as an abolitionist and civil rights leader. [4]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Frederick Douglass: Basic Information. National Park Service. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Cedar Hill: Frederick Douglass's Home in Anacostia. National Park Service. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  3. Frederick Douglass. History October 27, 2009(Original) January 21, 2021(Updated). Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  4. https://historicsites.dcpreservation.org/items/show/156

[[Category: Anti-Racist