Please join us for this celebration of Frederick Douglass’ Birthday! The FIU Libraries will be hosting Douglass Day 2023 this year as a virtual event on February 14th from 12:00PM – 3:00PM.

During the event participants will hear a lecture given by speakers sponsored by the Douglass Day Organization who will talk about the lives and legacies of Frederick Douglass and civil rights pioneer Mary Ann Shadd Cary. Then we will move on to a virtual transcribe-a-thon event to help transcribe the papers of Mary Ann Shadd Cary.

What is a transcribe-a-thon? Transcribe-a-thons are events in which people gather together to work side-by-side on a crowdsourcing transcription project. Together we can make historical documents more accessible!

The schedule of events will be as follows (subject to change):

Live broadcast – 12 to 12:30pm
Welcome & introductions
Sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing” (lyrics)
Overview for the Douglass Day 2023 program
Speakers on Douglass and Women in the Colored Conventions

Activity – 12:30 to 1pm
Time for transcribing, readings, discussions, etc.

Live broadcast – 1 to 1:30pm
Sing “Happy birthday” (both versions)
Add’l Speakers

Activity – 1:30 to 2:45pm
Time for transcribing, readings, discussions, etc.

Live broadcast – 2:45 to 3pm
Closing Reflections

Time