Frederick Douglass Memorial and Historical Association

Frederick Douglass, former slave and self-taught scholar, exhibited the strength of character and personal power that drove him to acquire his own freedom, and become one of the leading abolitionists for ending Slavery. He was a force of nature in the pursuit of freedom, including the right to vote. His zeal was expressed in his prolific writing and eloquent oratory.

FDMHA is the oldest Douglass organization in the world dedicated to preserving the Life and Legacy of Frederick Douglass. It was chartered by the United States Congress in 1900, for the purpose of preserving the lessons of his life and his legacy.

Frederick Douglass believed fervently that education was the pathway to freedom and equality. He never had the advantage of a formal education. In his “Farewell to the British People” address delivered March 30, 1847, in London England, he told his audience that he “never had a day's schooling in [his] life; all that I have of education I have stolen”, he said. In a society that subjected enslaved men and women to all manner of inhumanity, even death, if caught attempting to learn to read and write, Douglass defied the law and taught himself to read and write, anyway. Reminding ourselves of this history inspires us to encourage, our young people to seek higher education.