Nineteenth century abolitionist and women’s rights activist Frederick Douglass’ speeches are some of the most compelling and moving documents in American history. They are masterpieces of literature and oratory. They call to us today, as we wrestle with the meaning of democracy, freedom, and human rights.
I’ve been a great admirer of Douglass from about 2017, when I spent a lot of time with his work while writing a student guide for his speech, “The Hypocrisy of American Slavery.”
The video below features a conversation about the Frederick Douglass Oratorical Contest, an annual speech competition for students ages 6-18 hosted by the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site. For the contest, students memorize and deliver excerpts from Frederick Douglass’ speeches. I hope that you will be inspired to share this opportunity with your children or students or simply that you’ll be interested in learning more about Douglass from the resources below.
My husband, the Rev. Dr. Stephen McKinney-Whitaker, has served as a volunteer judge for the past two years. I sat down with him to chat about what Douglass has to say to us today, how it connects to his current work on peace and reconciliation as a minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), and what students can gain from participating.
Enjoy the interview, and check out the resources below for more information.
|Related: How Social-Emotional Learning Skills Transfer to the Study of History
A Conversation About Frederick Douglass’ Speeches and the Frederick Douglass Oratorical Contest
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Learn More About Frederick Douglass’ Speeches
Read the speeches chosen for the 2022 Frederick Douglass Oratorical Contest.
Check out the HBO documentary Frederick Douglass: In Five Speeches.
Visit the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site.
|Related: 5 of My Favorite History Podcasts for Kids, Teens, and Families
A version of this post appeared on February 28, 2022. It has been updated for 2023.
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12 comments
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Really Great post! I enjoyed this conversation, Thanks For Sharing
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I enjoyed this conversation on Frederick Douglas and his speeches very much.
I’m so glad you found it interesting! Frederick Douglass was truly an amazing man.
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Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed it.