Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C. Van Hook built the main portion of the present house soon after taking possession of the property.

In 2017 the site was used to represent Washington, D.C., on its America the Beautiful quarter. Helen's father, an abolitionist who was previously proud to know Douglass personally, never offered his blessing and refused to visit Washington unless he knew his daughter and her husband were out of town. Every year, the site hosts a competition for students to test their public speaking skills. 19. She was a graduate of Mount Holyoke College and had been a teacher of freed blacks in Virginia and Indiana.
Douglass lived in this house, which he named Cedar Hill, from 1877-1888 until his death in 1895. [7] "The main pillar of my house has fallen", he wrote to a friend. The home, named Cedar Hill, has been designated the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site. He later purchased and moved to the suburban estate in Anacostia that he named Cedar Hill. [10] Interviewed about her marriage, she responded, "Love came to me and I was not afraid to marry the man I loved because of his color. Bring your school to visit Frederick Douglass's historic house and participate in these two exciting experiences during the bicentennial! Tour the inside of Frederick Douglass's house from wherever you are. As he was telling his second wife Helen about one of the day's speakers, he suddenly collapsed.
Read More. Phone number (202) 544-6130. Frederick Douglass spent his life fighting for justice and equality. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. Perched on a hilltop, the site offers a sweeping view of the U.S. Capitol and the Washington, D.C., skyline. People Also Viewed. Original furnishings, books, photographs and other personal belongings paint a compelling portrait of both the private and public life of this great man. Become a young orator.

Frederick Douglass spent his life fighting for justice and equality. These groups owned the house until 1962, when the federal government took the deed to the house through the National Park Service, with the intent of restoring and preserving it.[13]. In 2017, the site was featured on the 37th quarter in the America the Beautiful Quarters series. Instead, he was appointed marshal for the District of Columbia, a role which he accepted. Virtually walk the halls and see closeups of historic objects. Born into slavery in 1818, he escaped as a young man and became a leading voice in the abolitionist movement. Typically, the marshal would attend formal White House gatherings and directly introduce guests to the President. The Octagon House. Douglass's legacy is preserved here at Cedar Hill, where he lived his last 17 years. By clicking “I agree” below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. Tour will begin outside the Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress, visit places of interest including the Capitol Hill home of Frederick Douglass and end in Lincoln Park where in 1876 Douglass delivered a memorable address at the unveiling of the Freedman's Memorial to … [2] His wife Anna had a stroke in 1882 which left her partially paralyzed; she died on August 4 and Douglass became depressed.

People everywhere still find inspiration today in his tireless struggle, brilliant words, and inclusive vision of humanity. NPS / … "[11], On February 20, 1895, Douglass attended a women's rights rally in Washington and was escorted to the platform by Anna Howard Shaw and Susan B. Anthony.

[12], After Douglass's death, his widow, Helen Pitts Douglass, founded the Frederick Douglass Memorial and Historical Association in 1900. 4. It is not affiliated with the federally owned Frederick Douglass National Historic Site in Anacostia, where Douglass lived later in his life. The house has an L shape, and its plan is reminiscent of the design of Andrew Jackson Downing. You could be the first review for The Frederick Douglass Museum On Capitol Hill. The Frederick Douglass National Historic Site is located about a 10-minute walk from the Anacostia Metro station. He and his grandson Joseph played the music of Franz Schubert in the west parlor, which served as the music room. By clicking “I agree” below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. Museums, Historical Tours.

[8], In January 1884-1885, Douglass applied for a marriage license at District of Columbia City Hall before heading to the home of Reverend Francis James Grimké and Charlotte Forten Grimké, where he married a white woman named Helen Pitts. We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. Dumbarton House. Two years after his wife died in 1882, he married feminist Helen Pitts, his former secretary; the fact that she was white was controversial. "[9] One newspaper article noted, "Goodbye, black blood in that family.

The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests.

His spirit lives on at the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site. 29. We have no further use for him. Landmarks & Historical Buildings, Museums. Also on site are an interpretive visitor center and a reconstruction[14] of Douglass's "Growlery", a small stone building in which he secluded himself while writing and studying.

… You also agree to our Terms of Service. [9] The marriage, held January 2,[10] was not approved by most members of either family. Given the amount of work he had done for the cause of emancipation since escaping from slavery in 1838, he was an obvious choice. He bought an additional 15 acres (6.1 ha) around the property the following year. The person chosen to give the main oration that day was Frederick Douglass. Later that year, Douglass purchased the home and expanded its 14 rooms to 21, including two-story library and kitchen wings. [11] Douglass had hired Pitts as a clerk in 1882. [5], In the home, Douglass became a cultivated member of high society. [2] His appointment to this highly visible position marked the first time a black man successfully received a federal appointment requiring Senate approval. Museums. For a portion of 1877, the house was owned by the Freedom Savings and Trust Company. [3] Douglass, however, was not asked to fill many of the roles expected of a marshal. Born into slavery in 1818, he escaped as a young man and became a leading voice in the abolitionist movement. [15], Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, National Association of Colored Women's Clubs, National Museum of African American History and Culture, List of museums focused on African Americans, National Park Service website on Cedar Hill, "United States Mint Launches 37th America the Beautiful Quarters® Program Coin", Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, The Heroic Slave, a heartwarming Narrative of the Adventures of Madison Washington, in Pursuit of Liberty, American Anti-Slavery Society 1843 lecture tour, List of things named after Frederick Douglass, Belmont–Paul Women's Equality National Monument, Japanese American Patriotism During World War II, Signers of the Declaration of Independence, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Boundary markers of the original District of Columbia, Women in Military Service for America Memorial, National Desert Storm and Desert Shield War Memorial, National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission.

Operated by America's National Parks, the bookstore sells unique educational products and books related to Frederick Douglass. Historic Site in Capitol Hill & South DC Escaped slave, abolitionist, author and statesman Frederick Douglass occupied this beautifully sited hilltop house from 1878 until his death in 1895. He was also a local, having lived on Capitol Hill at 316 A Street, NE since 1872. See our, Read a limited number of articles each month, You consent to the use of cookies and tracking by us and third parties to provide you with personalized ads, Unlimited access to washingtonpost.com on any device, Unlimited access to all Washington Post apps, No on-site advertising or third-party ad tracking. Cedar Hill was the name of Frederick Douglass's estate in Anacostia. The site of the Frederick Douglass home originally was purchased by John Van Hook in about 1855. His picture hangs in our parlor, we will hang it in the stables. He was successively appointed a U.S. marshal and the recorder of deeds for the District of Columbia. Charles Sumner School Museum & Archives . Frederick Douglass standing in front of his house on Capitol Hill, ca. In 1916, the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs joined with the association. Douglass, excused from this role, later complained that he should have resigned because of the slight. People everywhere still find inspiration today in his tireless struggle, brilliant words, and inclusive vision of humanity. We rely on readers like you to uphold a free press. [1], With the election of President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1876, Douglass hoped for a political appointment, likely postmaster for Rochester, New York, or ambassador to Haiti.