Beschreibung:

Frederick Douglass Monument pinback button. Caption "Unveiling Douglass Monument / Rochester, N.Y., June 9th, 1899" surrounds photographic image of the Douglass monument as it appeared in its original downtown location at the New York Central train station in Rochester. Back paper with identification "The Whitehead & Hoag Co., / Newark, N.J., U.S.A." circa 1899. Diam.: 1.75 in. A decade after his escape from slavery, Frederick Douglass settled with his family in Rochester, New York. From the basement of the city's Memorial AME Zion Church Douglass began publication of his abolitionist newspaper The North Star in December 1847. His July 5, 1852, speech to the ladies of the Rochester Anti-Slavery Sewing Society known today as "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" is considered by many to be one of the greatest anti-slavery orations ever given. Following Douglass's death in February 1895, Rochester wished to recognize its most prominent citizen with a monument. Unveiled to great fanfare in June 1899, the full-length bronze statue was commissioned by African American activist John W. Thompson Writing in his 1903 monograph An Authentic History of the Douglass Monument, Thompson identified the statue as "the first monument erected by popular contribution, to the memory of an Afro-American statesman, and carried on to completion by one of his own race." Condition: Overall good condition. Very small chips to edge line not affecting text or image. Slight creasing near top center of back paper.