Description:

Frederick Douglass
[Washington, DC], March 13, 1893
F. Douglass: "It is a long time since I listened to any one of sufficient temerity to attempt to represent as 'idyllic', any feature of human bondage" 1893 LS
LS

A 1p letter signed by American abolitionist and civil rights activist Frederick Douglass (ca. 1818-1895), as "Frederick Douglass" at lower right. March 13, 1893. [Washington, D.C.] Secretarially inscribed on laid watermarked bifold paper. With embossed letterhead as "Cedar Hill. / Anacostia. D.C." Blank inner pages and outer leaf. Expected wear including flattened transmittal folds, even toning, isolated foxing, and isolated chips to the upper page corners. A small ink blot just to the right of Douglass's signature. Else near fine. 5" x 8.125."

Douglass addressed this letter to Frederick Perry Noble (1863-1945), Secretary of the African Congress. The African Congress was a symposium on African history and culture which would convene three months later, in mid-August 1893, as part of the 1893 Columbian Exposition. Noble had contacted Douglass to ask him a question about the institution of slavery, which was on the agenda to be discussed at the upcoming conference.

Douglass's letter reads in full:

"March 13, 1893

Mr. F.P. Noble,
Secretary of African Congress.

Dear sir:

I am just in receipt of your letter of inquiry. It is a long time since I listened to any one of sufficient temerity to attempt to represent as 'idyllic', any feature of human bondage. If notified in time, I cannot refuse to bear my testimony upon this request.

[signed] Frederick Douglass."

Douglass was uniquely qualified to speak about the institution of slavery. Born an enslaved person in Tuckahoe, Maryland, he escaped from slavery in 1838. In 1841, Douglass was employed as an agent of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society. He wrote "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass" in 1845 to document his slavery experiences, and to silence those who believed a man of his abilities could not have been a slave. Douglass soon became a renowned anti-slavery orator.

The 1893 Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World's Fair, was held in Chicago, Illinois between May 1 and October 31, 1893 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Columbus's New World arrival. Over 27 million attendees gaped and gawked at some 200 new buildings constructed on 690 acres of land, including pavilions representing 46 nations, 34 U.S. states, and 4 U.S. territories. Significantly, there was no representation of the African-American experience at the World's Fair, and only a handful of Caribbean and African countries had dedicated sites. The African Congress was conceived as one way to partly rectify this omission.

Earlier conferences discussing all things African (contemporaries used umbrella terms like "issues concerning the Dark Continent" and the "negro question") had taken place in 1876, 1884, and 1890 in Brussels and Berlin, but they targeted specific topics. The African Congress at the 1893 World's Fair was much more ambitious: during the week-long conference (August 14-21, 1893), participants would discuss African history, language, literature, sociology, the arts and sciences, education, and geography, as well as the slave trade and the 14th and 15th Amendments. The panel included over 100 black and white speakers and/or essay entrants from 20 different countries. Conference participants ranged from missionaries, explorers, writers, and scientists, to military veterans, religious leaders, and even royalty.

Frederick Douglass delivered an impassioned address at the Africa Congress on its fifth day, on August 18, 1893. His physical appearance, as well as an excerpt from his speech, is included in Frederick P. Noble's report on the findings of the Africa Congress, "The Chicago Congress on Africa" ("Our Day", October 1893.) According to Noble, Douglass, "With white mane rolling around his shoulders, the black lion held us for an hour in his eloquence…" At the session, Douglass cried: "There is no negro problem… the only problem is whether there be enough Christian character and fidelity in white people to live up to their professions and Constitution…" Douglass's presence at the World's Fair extended past the African Congress. He took the controversial decision to attend the "Colored American Day" at the World's Fair on August 25, 1893, even though many civil rights activists and attendees chose to boycott it.

Frederick P. Nobel later earned a Ph.D. at the Chicago Theological Seminary in 1899. Later in life he continued working as a journalist.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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