#DouglassWeek 2026: “Reading Frederick Douglass Together” Community Reading

This special community gathering invites participants to experience the powerful words of Frederick Douglass together through a shared public reading. Audience members, invited guests and community participants will take turns reading selected excerpts from Douglass’s speeches and writings, bringing his voice and ideas to life in the very city where his intellectual journey began.

The event will open with brief reflections by Kenneth B. Morris Jr., a direct descendant of Frederick Douglass, who will share personal thoughts on Douglass’s legacy and its continued relevance today. Additional words of welcome from invited dignitaries and community leaders will help frame the reading and highlight Baltimore’s important place in Douglass’s life.

Designed as an open and accessible public event, “Reading Frederick Douglass Together” emphasizes voice, shared learning and community connection. By reading Douglass’s words aloud and collectively reflecting on them, participants engage directly with the ideas of freedom, justice and human dignity that continue to resonate across generations.

The text to be read will be shared on the day of the event. Printed copies will be available for participants, along with a short information sheet providing historical context for the selected passages, about the event and about #DouglassWeek.

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Host or Publisher Enoch Pratt Free Library