Douglass Speaks Series: 175 years of Frederick Douglass

This community event brings together local leaders and experts for a guided discussion about Frederick Douglass's 1865 speech "What the Black Man Wants." Following the abolition of slavery, Douglass made a powerful case for voting rights, arguing that suffrage was essential to securing civil rights and equal laws for all people. The program will include a moderated panel featuring historians, attorneys, and voting rights organizers who will help audiences understand the speech's significance and ongoing relevance. This is the first in a five-part series celebrating the 175th anniversary of Douglass's most famous 1852 Independence Day address. The series, sponsored by the Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP, League of Women Voters, and other local organizations, explores multiple speeches Douglass delivered throughout his life as an abolitionist leader and advocate for freedom and equality. Additional events are planned throughout 2027, with a community reading of "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" taking place in Carrboro on Independence Day.