Black History Month: Frederick Douglass in Rochester

In honor of Black History Month, this episode will delve into the life and work of Frederick Douglass during his time living in Rochester and discuss the legacy of Douglass today. To help us understand this important story, we welcome very special guest Hon. Malik D. Evans, Mayor of the City of Rochester, NY.

Markers of focus: Douglass Home, Monroe County

Interviewees: Hon. Malik D. Evans, Mayor of the City of Rochester.

A New York Minute in History is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio and the New York State Museum, with support from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. This episode was produced by David Hopper. Our executive producer is Tina Renick.  Our theme is “Begrudge” by Darby.

Photographs courtesy of the William G. Pomeroy Foundation.

Frederick Douglass, 1879. Photograph by Frank W. Legg, National Archives and Records Administration.

Hon. Malik D. Evans, Mayor of the City of Rochester. Photo courtesy of the City of Rochester.

Further Reading:

Shayla Martin, “2 Black Heroes, 2 Cities in New York: A Journey into the Past,” The New York Times, 2024.

Frederick Douglass, The Frederick Douglass Collection: A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, My Bondage and My Freedom, 2023.

David W. Blight, Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom, 2020.

Victoria Sandwick Schmitt, “Rochester’s Frederick Douglass: Part One and Part Two, Rochester History, 2005.

Teacher Resources:

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History: Lesson Plans for Frederick Douglass

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