Lowell Lecture
Picturing Frederick Douglass: The Most Photographed American of the 19th Century
Date & Time
March 29, 2016 at 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Location
Old South Meeting House
310 Washington Street Boston, MA 02108
Driving Directions
Speaker(s)
Presenting Organization
Newly discovered photographs of Frederick Douglass reveal that he – not Lincoln, Whitman, or General Custer, as previously claimed – was the most photographed American of the 19th century. Douglass understood the promise of his country’s new fascination with the camera and believed that photography could be a catalyst for reform. He used these widely circulated portraits to create a black public persona, counter racist iconography, and promote equality. University of Nottingham Professor Zoe Trodd will trace Douglass’s visual journey from fugitive slave to elder statesman, and outline the legacy of these 160+ photographs.
Book sales at this event courtesy of More than Words, a Waltham-based nonprofit social enterprise that empowers youth to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business.
This program is made possible with funding from the Lowell Institute. FREE and open to the public, pre-registration requested at: http://osmhmarch29-16.bpt.me