Abolitionist's life, legacy reexamined

rederick Douglass (1818-1895), the famous abolitionist and publisher who lived and worked in Rochester for more than 25 years, described in his autobiography how he assumed "several lives in one. First, the life of slavery; secondly, the life of a fugitive from slavery; thirdly, the life of comparative freedom; fourthly, the life of conflict and battle; and fifthly, the life of victory, if not complete, at least assured."

These "several lives" and their layers of meaning are the focus of two University initiatives this winter and spring: An academic conference organized by the Frederick Douglass Institute for African and African-American Studies, March 27-29, and an exhibition of letters, books, and other Douglass documents and artifacts from the Department of Rare Books and Special Collections now on display.

"We aim to rekindle and stimulate new interest in the life and works of Frederick Douglass," explains Larry Hudson Jr., director of the Douglass Institute and associate professor of history. "We do not wish to simply praise Douglass. We want to demythologize him and attempt to get to know the man who contributed so much to Rochester and the nation."

The upcoming conference, "The Public Life and Works of Frederick Douglass," will examine Douglass's 19th-century world of cultural and political reform through talks and discussions by the nation's leading Douglass scholars. The conference is sponsored by the Douglass Institute, the Rochester-Monroe County Freedom Trail Commission, and Howard University.

As a companion event to the conference, the current exhibition, The Several Lives of Frederick Douglass, in Rush Rhees Library presents a selection from the more than 100 Douglass letters in the University collection as well as other materials and images related to Douglass, including two underground railroad passes penned by him. The exhibition, displayed in the Department of Rare Books, Special Collections and Preservation, continues through May 10.

All events related to the Douglass conference are open to the public. Sessions on Thursday, March 27, and Friday, March 28, will be held at the University. Activities on Saturday, March 29, will take place at the Four Points Sheraton in downtown Rochester.

Luncheon and dinner programs require tickets, which can be purchased in advance. For more information or to register, visit www.rochester.edu/College/AAS/newaas or call the institute at x5-7235.

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