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“Harmonies of Freedom | Honoring Frederick Douglass through Music and Song” (Creative performance evening)

Time: 

    • 5:15 PM-6:15 PM EASTERN Meet & Greet and light refreshments

    • 6:30 PM-8:00 PM EASTERN (start of show)

Location: African Meeting House, Museum of African American History Boston, 46 Joy St, Boston, MA 02114

Participants:

    • Nettie Washington Douglass, Chair Emerita, Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives, great-great granddaughter of Frederick Douglass and great-granddaughter of Booker T. Washington

    • Kenneth B. Morris, Jr., President, Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives, great-great-great grandson of Frederick Douglass and great-great grandson of Booker T. Washington

    • Nicole Morris (Les Miserables), 4x great-granddaughter of Frederick Douglass and 3x great-granddaughter of Booker T. Washington

    • Regie Gibson (Inaugural Poet Laureate of Massachusetts)

    • Dr J. Jacques Carter (Harvard University)

    • Dr Noelle Trent (President & CEO of the Museum of African American History | Boston & Nantucket)

    • Paul Oakley Stovall (Hamilton)

    • Nikhil Saboo (Dear Evan Hansen)

    • Elected officials

Description: This performance evening celebrates the life and legacy of American abolitionist and civil rights leader Frederick Douglass and his family through live performances and readings. Program and participants evolve each year with the location of #DouglassWeek, but each event honors the history of Douglass and other changemakers through art and community. The event brings together Douglass family members, artists, scholars and local community voices for a vibrant tribute of music, spoken word, and storytelling. It often features original compositions inspired by Douglass’ writings, legacy and global travels, including his time in Ireland (1845–46), alongside selections from related works like the Broadway-bound Douglass musical American Prophet, which ran at Washington, DC’s Arena Stage in the summer of 2022. Each event showcases the talents of local artists, performers, community leaders and officials to tell the story and celebrate the inspiration of the Douglass family in that #DouglassWeek host city. 

Registration required, pay what you can, suggested donations $10

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September 29

Lunch Reception and Proclamation at the State House Boston
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September 30

“The Communist and the Revolutionary Liberal in the Second American Revolution - Comparing Karl Marx and Frederick Douglass in Real-Time” (panel discussion)