Description:

Douglass Frederick

Frederick Douglass signed Washington, D.C. land deed

 

2pp document signed by writer and activist Frederick Douglass (1817[?-1895) as "Fredk Douglass -" on docket. Washington, DC, March 14, 1882. The partly printed and partly handwritten double-sided document measuring 8.5" x 14" is folded into four equal parts and records details of a land transfer from Watson J. Newton to James G. Boss. In near fine condition, with overall toning and minor chipped edges. Accompanied by a black and white postcard-sized image of the leader in later life, with diagonal crease. While Douglass’s letters are scarce, documents signed during his tenure are very reasonable.

 

President James Garfield appointed Douglass as Recorder of Land Deeds for the District of Columbia in 1881. While a high paying job, it was actually a demotion from his former job as a DC U.S. Marshal, a position he had held since Rutherford B. Hayes appointed him in 1877. Douglass worked as Recorder of Land Deeds until his 1886 resignation. Douglass would spend the next two years traveling throughout Europe and Africa with his second wife, Helen Pitts. A white woman from a Rochester, New York abolitionist family, Pitts had been Douglass’s clerk in the deeds office.

 

Frederick Douglass was an orator, journalist, abolitionist, and distinguished African-American leader. Born a slave 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 noted anti-slavery orator and supporter of women’s rights. Douglass used his influence and his newspaper The North Star to advance his causes. During the Civil War, he was instrumental in advocating for African-American combat units and in raising troops. He fought for passage of the 13th (Abolition), 14th (Citizenship and Equal Protection) and 15th (Voting Rights) Amendments. Douglass was the first African American to serve in important federal posts.

 

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

We do our own in-house worldwide shipping!
Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. ***PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR SHIPMENT TO BE SENT TO AN ADDRESS OTHER THAN THE ONE YOU HAVE ON FILE WITH INVALUABLE, YOU WILL NEED TO INFORM US OF THIS AS SOON AS PAYMENT IS SUBMITTED FOR YOUR WINNINGS*** Shipping and handling costs are competitive as we maintain discounted contracts with FedEx. If you have any questions, contact University Archives prior to bidding. After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 5 business days following receipt of full payment for item. We currently ship via FedEx but if your purchase is shipping to a P.O. Box, we ship via USPS. All items are insured. We ship from our offices in Westport, CT. We may opt to use a third party shipper for very fragile, bulky or oversized items. Items requiring third party shipping will be denoted in the item description. Packages shipped internationally will have full value declared on shipping form. International buyers will be responsible for any customs fees incurred.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Westport, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000