Congresswoman Norton Introduces Bill to Honor Frederick Douglass

 

Frederick Douglass' birthday is February 14, Valentine's Day.

 

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) has introduced a bill to establish a Bicentennial Commission to study ways that the federal government might honor and celebrate not only his birthday, but his life.

 

In her statement for the Congressional Record introducing the bill, Congresswoman Norton said, 

 

“Douglass dedicated his life to achieving justice for all Americans.  He lived in the District of Columbia for 23 of his 57 years as a free man and was deeply committed to obtaining equal congressional voting and self-government rights for District of Columbia resident.  My bill would simply establish a commission to examine ways the federal government can honor Douglass during the bicentennial anniversary of his birth, including the issuance of a Frederick Douglass bicentennial postage stamp, the convening of a joint meeting or joint session of Congress for ceremonies and activities relating to Frederick Douglass, a rededication of the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, and the acquisition and preservation of artifacts associated with Frederick Douglass.”

 

Read Congresswoman Norton's full introduction statement below.

 

Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Introduction of the Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Commission Act

 

February 11, 2014

 

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate the birthday of Frederick Douglass, I introduce a bill that would establish a Bicentennial Commission to study ways that the federal government might honor and celebrate the life of Douglass during the bicentennial anniversary of his birth, in 2018. 

 

Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in 1818 on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.  He learned basic reading skills from his mistress and continued to teach himself and other slaves to read and write despite the risks he faced, including death.  After two attempts, Douglass successfully escaped from slavery to New York and became an anti-slavery lecturer and abolitionist.  He went on to serve in several administrations, including as a close advisor to President Abraham Lincoln, U.S. Marshal of the District of Columbia under President Rutherford B. Hayes and District of Columbia Recorder of Deeds under President James Garfield.  In 1889, President Benjamin Harrison appointed Frederick Douglass to be the U.S. minister to Haiti.  He was later appointed by President Ulysses S. Grant to serve as secretary of the commission of Santo Domingo.

 

Douglass dedicated his life to achieving justice for all Americans.  He lived in the District of Columbia for 23 of his 57 years as a free man and was deeply committed to obtaining equal congressional voting and self-government rights for District of Columbia residents.  His home, Cedar Hill, was established as a National Historic Site, in Anacostia in Southeast Washington, D.C. and his statute in the United States Capitol is a gift from the almost 650,000 American citizens of the District of Columbia.

 

My bill would simply establish a commission to examine ways the federal government can honor Douglass during the bicentennial anniversary of his birth, including the issuance of a Frederick Douglass bicentennial postage stamp, the convening of a joint meeting or joint session of Congress for ceremonies and activities relating to Frederick Douglass, a rededication of the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, and the acquisition and preservation of artifacts associated with Frederick Douglass.  The Commission would report its findings and recommendations to Congress.

 

I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.