Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony in Rochester New York

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1. Frederick Douglass Monument Unveiled Site

The Frederick Douglass Monument was dedicated to the City of Rochester here, near the train station on the corner of St. Paul and Central Avenue, which was where the monument was unveiled and celebrated in 1899. The original date for unveiling the monument was on September 15th, 1898, however, due to a delay in delivering the statue, only a part of the planned event took place. The actual unveiling date was on June 9th, 1899, at which Governor Theodore Roosevelt delivered an address. The monument remained near the railroad from1899 -1941, until the Rochester officials decided the noisy and grimy train station was not fitting for one of the city's most respected residents. They then moved the monument to its new location in Highland Park (also known as the Highland Bowl). The corner of St. Paul and Central Avenue was once marked "the great portal" of the Flower City, because it gave Frederick Douglass's statue a hospitable home, as well as welcoming everyone who was searching for equality. Around ten thousand people were at the site celebrating the unveiling of the monument. This unveiling ceremony was so important that the mayor requested businesses close. He specifically said that after 12 o'clock noon, all business should be suspended as much as possible. Frederick Douglass's son Charles R. Douglass was the actual model for the statue. The 8-foot tall monument was made by Smith Granite Works of Westerly, Rhode Island, specially commissioned and created by the sculptor Stanley W. Edwards. It cost $7,000, and the city was only able to pay $5,250, after which they were in debt for the remaining $1,750. People came together and donated to the Douglass Monument Committee to help pay off the debt. The monument itself was made out of Bronze, and the pedestal underneath was made out of granite. This entry is part of a public history project developed by the RIT Museum Studies program in celebration of the bicentennial of Frederick Douglass’s birth (February 1818).The Photo shown in this entry is from the Democrat and Chronicle. See http://media.democratandchronicle.com/retrofitting-rochester/frederick-douglass-monument

2. Historic Site of The First Unitarian Church of Rochester

Now the site of the Downtown Presbyterian Church, this used to be where the First Unitarian Church of Rochester would meet. In 1848 the First Unitarian Church of Rochester was the venue for a follow-up convention to the Seneca Falls convention. The church has been associated with many different reform movements, as well as reformers. This includes Mary and Susan B. Anthony, advocates for women's rights and close friends with Frederick Douglass. After his death they held a memorial service here at which Susan B. Anthony and her father spoke. The church was organized in 1829, but spent its first few years without a building or a minister. The location of the church has changed twice. The first time was when the church merged with the Universalist Church of Rochester (also shown on the map) and the Universalist's location became the joined congregation's place of worship. Later in 1959 the location was changed again so the old location could become incorporated into the under-construction Midtown Plaza. This entry is part of a public history project developed by the RIT Museum Studies program in celebration of the bicentennial of Frederick Douglass’s birth (February 1818).

3. Historic Site of Corinthian Hall

Corinthian Hall once served not only as Rochester’s premier lecture hall but also as a site of forward thinking and discourse. Corinthian hall was built in 1849 by Henry Searle and has hosted speakers such as Susan B. Anthony and William Lloyd Garrison, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Horace Greeley, until it eventually burned down in 1898. In the present day there is currently a parking garage built over the site that was once the Corinthian Hall. One of its first speeches of note was preformed by Fredrick Douglass on July 5, 1852. The oration is now referred to as “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” During his oration, Douglass took up the argument that the Fourth of July being celebrated as Independence Day was hallow. His point being that the persistence of slavery in the US contradicted the spirit of the holiday, as one of freedom. During the speech Douglass also talked about the transition of how people felt about the beginnings of the Revolutionary War: “To say now that America was right, and England wrong, is exceedingly easy. Everybody can say it; the dastard, not less than the noble brave… It is fashionable to do so; but there was a time when, to pronounce against England, and in favor of the cause of the colonies, tried men's souls. They who did so were accounted in their day, plotters of mischief, agitators and rebels, dangerous men. To side with the right, against the wrong, with the weak against the strong, and with the oppressed against the oppressor! Here lies the merit…” 1 This is a sentiment that can be transitioned easily to any pre-cultural shift, considering opinions on slavery now as well as several other topics. Corinthian Hall also served as a the venue for other notable events such as an anti-slavery convention in 1857, a “meeting of morning and eulogy” on the day of John Brown’s execution in 1859, and the first annual convention of the National Liberal League in 1877, along with many other events during its lifespan. This entry is part of a public history project developed by the RIT Museum Studies program in celebration of the bicentennial of Frederick Douglass’s birth (February 1818). This oration is part of the Fourth of July orations collection. See https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/005995156

4. The Eureka Lodge Durand Building Headquarters (1898)

On July 20, 1898, the Eureka Lodge, the African-American branch of the Free and Accepted Masons, led the parade commencing the laying of the Douglass Monument cornerstone. At 3:30 pm, Lodge members left their Durand Building headquarters, marched up Main Street, and down North St Paul St towards the site of ceremonies.The procession was accompanied by the Estella Chapter of the order of the Eastern Star, and headed by the 54th Regiment band. At the Douglass Monument's Central Avenue and St. Paul Street location, Grand Master E. R. Spaulding broke ground with a silver and ivory-handled trowel, which had been presented to him by Lodge members the night before. The cornerstone was laid at 4 o’clock, with the Honorable John Van Voorhis serving as the keynote speaker of the event. The Eureka Lodge still considers their role in the laying of the Douglass Monument cornerstone to be one of their chapter's greatest achievements. Their current headquarters are at 616 Brown Street, Rochester, NY, 14614. This entry is part of a public history project developed by the RIT Museum Studies program in celebration of the bicentennial of Frederick Douglass’s birth (February 1818).

5. Post Residence (Historic Marker)

Erected by the City of Rochester in 1984, this historical marker stands in the approximate location of the residence of Amy and Isaac Post. Throughout the mid-1800's the Posts were prominent members of the Abolitionist, Women's Suffrage, and Quaker Spiritualist reform movements in Rochester. From 1836 until Amy Post's death in 1889, the couple lived in the house which stood here. Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, and Susan B. Anthony- all close friends of the Posts- are known to have visited their home on multiple occasions. The Posts also operated a station of the Underground Railroad out of their house, sometimes hiding as many as 20 escaped slaves a night.

6. Beginning of 1899 Frederick Douglass Monument Unveiling Parade

In 1899 there was a parade in the honor of Frederick Douglass. The parade was to reveal the new monument to Frederick Douglass. The parade was well anticipated with many people lining the streets. It was a rather large parade with much fanfare. The Governor of New York at the time, Theodore Roosevelt, attended the parade. The parade procession was made up of six divisions, some containing military personnel, policeman, and veterans. There were also boys from a boys' school involved. The order for a gun salute was called and the parade began its march. They marched from Spring Street and South Washington up South Washington to West Main street, then to the Rochester court house. This entry is part of a public history project developed by the RIT Museum Studies program in celebration of the bicentennial of Frederick Douglass’s birth (February 1818). The items shown in this entry are taken from a scrapbook that is one of two in the collections of the Local History and Genealogy Divisions of Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County Library. http://www.libraryweb.org/~digitized/scrapbooks/rsc00001color.pdf http://www.libraryweb.org/~digitized/scrapbooks/rsc00002color.pdf

7. "Let's Have Tea" Statue

Created by Laotian sculptor Pepsy Kettavong and erected in Susan B. Anthony Square Park in 2001, this bronze statue project titled "Let's Have Tea" depicts famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass and suffragist Susan B. Anthony engaged in conversation while enjoying cups of tea. The statue was commissioned by the Susan B. Anthony Neighborhood Association as a monument to the lifelong friendship between the two civil rights activists.

8. Susan B. Anthony House

Located in the former home of the famous women's right's activist the museum is named after, the National Susan B. Anthony Museum offers exhibits that interpret the history of women's suffrage and the life and influence of Susan B. Anthony. One of the most influential Americans of the late 19th century, Anthony challenged the assumption that men and women should occupy different classes of citizenship. She was arrested for voting in 1872 and used the event to publicize the lack of political rights for women. Anthony worked with other suffragists such as close friend Elizabeth Cady Stanton and created the National Woman Suffrage Association. The museum has a variety of artifacts related to this organization, as well as a collection of documents for researchers.

9. Lunsford Circle Park (Plymouth Park)

Plymouth Park, now known as Lunsford Circle Park, was the first proposed site for the Frederick Douglass monument in Rochester, NY. J.W. Thompson, the chairman of the committee commissioning the Douglass monument, was approached by many citizens of Rochester to have the bronze placed in this park, so he presented this to the park board and initially got approval for the statue to be erected there, as it was in a location where it could be seen from many blocks away. This site was also the first choice for this monument as there was a large population of African American people in this area of the city, so having Douglass there to remind them of progress every day would have been a great addition for that community. However, in the year following there were objections from other people throughout the city because they felt that the only people who would see the monument in Plymouth Park are the people who are headed that way and Douglass’s monument should be at the city center to serve as an “object lesson” about the work he had done during his lifetime. So, in 1898, after the urging of many citizens, Chairman Thompson and the committee changed the location of the monument to where it was originally erected near Central Station. Despite not being chosen as the final resting spot for the monument, this area of the city was later dedicated to another African American man that made significant contributions to the city, Rochester’s first known licensed African American physician, Dr. Charles Lunsford. The oldest park in Rochester to date, Lunsford Circle has been added as one of ten designated sites on the Corn Hill Historic Trail. This entry is part of a public history project developed by the RIT Museum Studies program in celebration of the bicentennial of Frederick Douglass’s birth (February 1818). The photos of the park are part of the Albert R. Stone Negative collection (the historical photo) and taken by the Democrat and Chronicle (present day photo). See http://media.democratandchronicle.com/retrofitting-rochester/plymouth-park. Further research about the site was conducted for background information. See http://www.libraryweb.org/~digitized/books/History_Douglass_Monument.pdf & http://media.democratandchronicle.com/retrofitting-rochester/plymouth-park.

10. Frederick Douglass-Susan B. Anthony Memorial Bridge

This entry is part of a public history project developed by the RIT Museum Studies program in celebration of the bicentennial of Frederick Douglass’s birth (February 1818). Opened June 18th, 2007, the bridge has become an important part of the Rochester skyline. Originally named the Troup-Howell Bridge, it was renamed the Frederick Douglass-Susan B. Anthony Memorial Bridge on June 13th, 2007, in honor of Rochester's two most influential rights activists. The bridge is colloquially known as the Freddie-Sue Bridge. The original bridge was opened in 1954 as the Troup-Howell bridge, named in reference to the two streets that it connected. The bridge was torn down and rebuilt in 2007. Five days before the new bridge was opened on June 13th, then mayor Bob Duffy officially renamed the bridge to the Frederick Douglass-Susan B. Anthony Memorial Bridge, stating, "Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass, these are two figures that are to me the epitome of the history in this city. They represent what this city is all about." This sentiment shows how even 200 years after his birth, the work that Douglass did for the country is still honored and respected, along with that of Susan B. Anthony. Both have deep connections to the City of Rochester, and are celebrated greatly in this city. Their friendship and collective fight for equality will be marked in an important piece of the Rochester skyline, and like the rights that they were able to achieve for African-Americans and women, many people use the bridge every day of their lives. This entry is part of a public history project developed by the RIT Museum Studies program in celebration of the bicentennial of Frederick Douglass’s birth (February 1818).

11. Frederick Douglass's First Rochester Home Historical Marker

This house was the first home Frederick Douglass bought in Rochester. Douglass likely lived here from 1847 until the purchase of his next home in 1852. Douglass’s relationship with his neighbors is recounted in local newspapers, including the North Star- an abolitionist newspaper that Douglass edited while living here. The Douglass family used this home as a stop on the underground railroad, along with the other homes he owned in the area. This is also the home where Frederick Douglass’s wife, Anna Murray-Douglass, decided she would not receive a formal education since she saw more personal value in tending the home. The home burned down in 1954 and was later turned into a parking lot. A historical marker was installed here on November 5, 2018.

12. Park Avenue Baptist Church

There is not much known about the Park Avenue Baptist Church. In various articles in the Democratic Chronicle it is mentioned as a place of meeting amongst different groups. It is where Dr. C.A. Barbour of the Lake Avenue Baptist Church gave a tribute speech about Frederick Douglass to the Women’s Ethical Club. It is worth mentioning that in a lot of newspaper articles during the same time period, they also label it as the Park Avenue Church, excluding the word "Baptist" from its name. On a 1900 Plat Map featured on the Library of Congress’s website, it shows that the church was indeed on the corner of Meigs and Park in Rochester, NY, and a lot of articles in the newspaper backup this fact. This entry is part of a public history project developed by the RIT Museum Studies program in celebration of the bicentennial of Frederick Douglass’s birth (February 1818). The items shown in this entry are taken from a scrapbook that is one of two in the collections of the Local History and Genealogy Divisions of Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County Library. http://www.libraryweb.org/~digitized/scrapbooks/rsc00002color.pdf

13. Frederick Douglass's Hamilton House

This is the only surviving house that Frederick Douglass lived in. The house was purchased by Douglass in 1855. Douglass then deeded the property to his daughter from 1872-1876. He took back ownership of the house in 1877 and held the property until his death in 1895. The landmark is important to Douglass because even after he moved to Washington, D.C. he still returned back to that house. This was because residents of the nation's capital could not vote in any federal elections at that time. Since Douglass had rightfully earned his right to vote, he did not want that freedom taken away from him. This entry is part of a public history project developed by the RIT Museum Studies program in celebration of the bicentennial of Frederick Douglass’s birth (February 1818).

14. Frederick Douglass Community Library

The library was originally opened in 1927 as the South Avenue Branch Library. The current building was built in 1986 and was renamed in honor of Frederick Douglass in 2016. The library is located in a spot close to Frederick Douglass’s farm home, the last home where he lived in Rochester. The library is a branch of the Rochester Public Library system located in downtown Rochester. It is located next to School 12, which is also named after Frederick Douglass. The library services the area surrounding South Avenue and provides many free services for its patrons. This entry is part of a public history project developed by the RIT Museum Studies program in celebration of the bicentennial of Frederick Douglass’s birth (February 1818). The photo is part of the Monroe County Library collection. See https://catalogplus.libraryweb.org/?section=resource&resourceid=1115934761&currentIndex=0&view=fullDetailsDetailsTab

15. Location of Two Former Trees Planted By Frederick Douglass

At this location in the 19th century, two trees were planted by Fredrick Douglas for the Keller family on their property as a sign of friendship. Douglass planted two trees and one fell following a severe storm in 1920. A hospital now stands where the house and the trees once stood. The only surviving trace of the two trees that were planted by Douglass are two pictures taken by Albert R. Stone that are part of the collection of the Rochester Museum and Science Center.

16. School 12: James P.B. Duffy School

School 12 or the James P. B. Duffy School is built upon the same lot as Frederick Douglass’s longtime home. The school may not be named after him in an official sense but it is colloquially known as the Frederick Douglass School. There is also a mural of Frederick Douglass painted in the lobby of the school. The elementary school is known for having a very diverse set of students and for being accepting of all students. The school’s surroundings also honor the memory of Douglass as there are several markers explaining that the site is of historical significance. These New York State markers give some context to Douglass and the things that happened in this South Avenue home. Additionally, the recreation center that is attached to the school, but not affiliated with it, is named the Frederick Douglass Recreation Center. The recreation center also keeps up his legacy by helping at-risk youth through its after school programs. While not quite on the level of Douglass assisting with getting slaves out of the country, it is still in the spirit of Douglass and is likely a program he would have supported if he were alive today. This entry is part of a public history project developed by the RIT Museum Studies program in celebration of the bicentennial of Frederick Douglass’s birth (February 1818). More information on the subject can be found here www.rcsdk12.org/12.

17. Frederick Douglass Farm

The South Ave farm is the residence in Rochester that Douglass stayed in for the longest time. He first moved into the house in 1852 and it was a residence for him and his family all the way up to 1872. The reasons behind him moving into this house were twofold. A big part of the move was that he had three kids with his wife and there simply was not enough room for everybody to fit into the house that he owned at that point. Another big reason was that with the passage of the fugitive slave act of 1850, it became very difficult to help out with the Underground Railroad in the house he had in the middle of the city. The new farm on South Ave had a private drive and no neighbors so he was able to help out fugitive slaves much easier than he could before. The farm unfortunately had many negative feelings associated with it on top of the more positive ideas of family and helping those in need. The farm burned to the ground in 1972 in what were some very suspicious circumstances. It was believed to be arson but was never truly investigated as such. This act of violence was also the last straw for Douglass. After he came back from DC to check on his family and the state of the farm, he never returned to Rochester, until he was eventually buried here. It is unfortunate that a place that was often associated with such positive thoughts had to lead to such negative feelings from Douglass. This entry is part of a public history project developed by the RIT Museum Studies program in celebration of the bicentennial of Frederick Douglass’s birth (February 1818). The information on the site can be found here http://www.gccschool.org/freedom/places/fdsouth.htm

18. Frederick Douglass Monument (Relocated)

This monument of Frederick Douglass was moved here in 1941. The monument was originally located near the train station on the corner of St. Paul and Central Avenue. The monument was moved to the new location at Highland Park in 1941, near his old house on South Avenue that burned down in 1872. It was also moved because Frederick Douglass's second wife, Helen Pitts-Douglass, wanted the Monument to be here. Susan B. Anthony, a social reformer and women's rights activist, who was also a close friend of Frederick Douglass since they fought for women's rights and Black rights together, delivered a speech at the monument quoting Fredrick Douglass and honoring him. James W. Thompson, the person who had the idea about the monument, also went to the monument to listen to Susan B. Anthony's speech and to make sure the monument was in good surroundings. The Frederick Douglass Monument was made by Smith Granite Works of Westerly, Rhode Island, and cost $7,000. The medium of the monument is Bronze, and the pedestal is made out of granite. The bronze statue is eight feet high and the granite is nine feet high. On the east side of the shaft is a speech by Douglass about the Dred Scott court case in 1857. On the West side is a speech about West Indian emancipation, which was delivered at Canandaigua. The north side of the monument has different quotations from him, and the South side only has his name on it. The entire granite base is decorated with palm leaves carved in the stone.

19. Jean Brooks Greenleaf Gravesite

Jean Brooks Greenleaf (1831-1918) was a leader in the suffrage movement and friend of Susan B. Anthony. Greenleaf served as the president of the New York State Woman Suffrage Association between 1890 and 1896 and worked with Anthony on the "Second New York Campaign" for a state constitutional amendment for women's suffrage in 1894. At her death in 1918, her obituary remarked: "With the death yesterday of Mrs. Jean Brooks Greenleaf there passed the last of the little band of devoted suffragists who received their first inspiration from Susan B. and Mary Anthony. Mrs. Greenleaf was the only one of the women who saw their dream come true in the state where they had lived the greater share of their lives."

20. Mount Hope Cemetery

Mount Hope Cemetery was founded in Rochester, New York in 1938 and is one of the United States' first municipal rural cemeteries. After Frederick Douglass's death, his body returned to Rochester, New York on February 26, 1895. He was buried and his life was celebrated by the Rochester community at Mount Hope. His procession through Rochester began at the Central-Hudson Station where twelve policemen delivered him to City Hall where he stayed for a few hours. They exited with guard duty through the Fitzhugh street entrance of the Hall to the Central Presbyterian Church on Plymouth Street, where his funeral began. After his funeral he passed through East Main Street onto St Paul, then to Mount Hope, where his body was laid to rest. This entry is part of a public history project developed by the RIT Museum Studies program in celebration of the bicentennial of Frederick Douglass’s birth (February 1818). The items shown in this entry are taken from a scrapbook that is one of two in the collections of the Local History and The Library of Congress.

21. Frederick Douglass Institute University of Rochester

The Frederick Douglass Institute for African-American studies was founded in 1986. The institute offers programs for both graduate and undergraduate students. The institute also offers various fellowships and awards to encourage study. One such award is the Frederick Douglass Prize, which is offered to the best undergraduate research paper based in African and African-American studies. They also offer various speakers and events throughout the year. This is in the memory of Frederick Douglass and the work he did in the furtherment of African-American rights. The institution has had a long history. There was a previous failed attempt to create an African and African-American studies program previously in 1969. The current program took a break in 1998 and was brought back in 1999 after student demand. This entry is part of a public history project developed by the RIT Museum Studies program in celebration of the bicentennial of Frederick Douglass’s birth (February 1818). The Frederick Douglass Insitute is part of the University of Rochester. See http://www.sas.rochester.edu/aas/about/index.html.

22. Daniel and Lucy Anthony Farmhouse (1845-1862)

Susan B. Anthony’s parents, Daniel and Lucy Anthony, acquired a farmhouse in 1845 very near this location that has since been lost to time. Deborah Hughes, President of the Susan B. Anthony Museum and House, has studied land records and believes that the farm was likely along what is now Brooks Avenue between the current Genesee Park Blvd and Thurston Road. Leading abolitionists like William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass frequently met here in the 1850s. Susan B. Anthony lived in this farmhouse until her father's death in 1862.

This Tour is a Thematic Tour or Heritage Trail.

Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony in Rochester New York

Created by 2175 MUSE 360 (RIT Museum Studies) on February 16th 2024, 9:05:32 pm.

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This heritage trail also serves as a digital storymap, offering locations and landmarks related to the lives of two of Rochester's most influential citizens, Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass. Whether one is able to travel throughout Rochester to these current and former landmarks, or if they simply browse this resource on the web or Clio's mobile application, this trail will offer a wealth of information about the lives of these two influential Americans and the era in which they lived.

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Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony in Rochester New York

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