HE was one of the most important social reformers in the history of the US and now users of the National Library of Scotland are to be given a unique chance to learn about Frederick Douglass.
For yesterday the Library (NLS) was presented with a significant loan of material about Douglass, an author, abolitionist and philosopher who was born a slave in Maryland in 1820 and lived to be one of the most famous black men in America, dying in 1895.
He visited Scotland in 1843 and his speeches converted many to the cause of the abolition of slavery in the US.
Now in a world-first, the Frederick Douglass Family Collection, held in the Walter O and Linda Evans Collection, will be on public display for the first time outside the US at the National Library later this year.
The display will exhibit manuscripts, letters, speeches and photographs of Frederick Douglass and his sons, Lewis Henry, Frederick Jr and Charles Redmond.
The loan was made possible by the generosity of Linda and Walter O Evans, a world-renowned collector, curator and conservator of African-American history, culture and memory.
Walter O Evans flew into Edinburgh to personally hand-deliver items from his Frederick Douglass collection to Dr John Scally, National Librarian.
NLS stated: “While the many public lives of Frederick Douglass as the representative “fugitive slave”, autobiographer, orator, philosopher, abolitionist and reformer continue to be told worldwide, this display will tell the story of Douglass as a private individual and family man.
“This display will also show that Frederick Douglass was not alone in his journey to Scotland. He was joined by a number of African-American freedom-fighters who travelled to Scotland in their campaigns to abolish slavery, segregation, and lynchlaw.”
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