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Current Projects in Ireland

#DouglassWeek will take place between the 8th and 14th of February 2021 and will feature a variety of events and projects involving researchers, artists, musicians and community groups in Ireland and beyond. Read below to find out more about each commemoration of Frederick Douglass’s transformative time in Ireland. A blog will be hosted here during #DW featuring guest contributors reflecting upon the events.

All-Island Events

  • Poetry Competition: Poets from Ireland and abroad are invited to submit a poem about Douglass, his message, his travels or related topics

  • Speech by members of the Frederick Douglass Family

  • Performance of the Frederick Douglass/Daniel O’Connell address

  •  Musical Evening to Commemorate Douglass

  • #DouglassDay: Several international, high-profile events planned for Douglass’s birthday on the 14th of February, e.g. an expert panel with academic experts and creative thinkers

    Educational Curriculum: A team of educators is putting together a school curriculum about Douglass’s Narrative to be rolled out in 2021

    Douglass Documentary: A documentary project following Douglass’s footsteps around Ireland will begin during #DouglassWeek

    “Frederick Douglass, Past, Present and Future”: Online poetry reading featuring Irish and US poets reading work about or inspired by Douglass. This will culminate with the announcement of the winning poem in our DouglassWeek Poetry Competition, which will then be read by renowned actor (and author/performer of the one-man show “Frederick Douglass Now”), Roger Guenveur Smith.

    “Imagining Douglass”: Reading and discussion with author Colum McCann, author of TransAtlantic

    “Douglass’s Genres”: a panel discussion analysing Douglass’s work across several literary genres – autobiography, oratory, letter writing, and more (details TBA)

    “Teaching Frederick Douglass”: Roundtable event introducing the Educational Curriculum efforts with Dr Hannah-Rose Murray, Dr Naomi Masheti and Dr Caroline Schroeter (details TBA)

    Transcribathon of Douglass’s Letters: Virtual Event using the “By The People“ platform at the Library of Congress. In 2021, we will transcribe the papers of Mary Church Terrell, a foundational Black activist, educator, thinker, and writer who helped to create Douglass Day back in 1895. Soon after, she also helped found the National Association of Colored Women (NACW) and the NAACP. Students will be encouraged to join the live launch 'virtually' on Friday 12th of February @ 5.00 pm Irish time (details TBA)

    “Douglass and the British Isles”: Talk by Dr Hannah-Rose Murray who will explore Douglass' experience in the British Isles as a whole, including his little known 1859 trip to the UK. This event will also include a ‘virtual tour’ where Dr Murray introduces certain places that meant a lot to Douglass such as Dublin, Cork, Newcastle, Edinburgh and London

    Opening of the Museum of Literature Ireland “Frederick Douglass” exhibition followed by “Curating Activism”: A panel discussion with MOLI director Simon O’Connor, Head of Curatorial for NMNI and member of the Ethics committee of the UK Museums Association, Hannah Crowdy, and Programme Manager of Nano Nagle Place, Cork, Danielle O’Donovan  

Events in cities that Douglass spoke in

Cork

  • Street Project: An initiative and petition to rename a street or space after Douglass in Cork City

  • Cork Migrant Centre: The Cork Migrant Centre is collaborating with Stevie G to perform commissioned songs and dance

  • MOLI exhibition: The Museum of Literature exhibition about Frederick Douglass will travel to Cork for #DouglassWeek

  • Walking Tour: Virtual historic walking tour of Cork with local Historian Dr Laurence Fenton

  • Street Art Walking Tour: Taking in Douglass artwork around the city as well as other, related art projects in Cork

  • Mural creation project: A co-production of an Irish and a US artist

  • Collaborative dance and music performance by UCC students and local community members

  • "Conversations on Racism in Ireland”: discussion moderated by Dr Amanullah De Sondy, Head of the Study of Religions Department at UCC and hosted by UCC’s Race Equality Forum (Monday 8th February, 2-3pm; more details TBA)

  • Americanist Reading Group: The UCC Americanist Reading Group will host a discussion about Douglass’s Narrative

  • Sonic description of Douglass’ writings by Sound artist Isabel Ronan (UCC)

    For more information about events in Cork click here or email us.

Dublin

Limerick

  • “Unsilencing Black Voices” Panel Discussion: Roundtable events hosted by Sandrine Ndahiro and Catherine Osikoya (University of Limerick) from Unsilencing Black Voices in Ireland, featuring African scholars in Ireland as well as a range of young Black Irish voices (details TBA)

  • Empathy Workshop with Narrative4: this story exchange workshop (for up to 20 people), led by Narrative4 facilitators in Limerick, will explore the power of storytelling to foster empathy and connection

  • Planting of a Cedar tree to create a “Living Memorial” of Frederick Douglass

  • More details TBA

Belfast

  • Planting of a Cedar tree to create a “Living Memorial” of Frederick Douglass

  • More details TBA

Wexford

  • Planting of a Cedar tree to create a “Living Memorial” of Frederick Douglass

  • More details TBA

Waterford

  • Planting of a Cedar tree to create a “Living Memorial” of Frederick Douglass

  • More details TBA