FSU Hosts John Muller’s Presentation “Lost History: Frederick Douglass in Western Maryland”

This was sent to The Bottom Line as a press release. 

Frostburg State University will host a presentation, “Lost History: Frederick Douglass in Western, Maryland,” by author John Muller on Tuesday, April 9, at 6 p.m. in Gira Center room 397. This event is free and open to the public.

Frederick Douglass, an American abolitionist leader, social reformer, lecturer and writer on antislavery, made numerous visits to lecture throughout Western Maryland. Douglass lectured in Cumberland for an Emancipation Day festival in 1879 and gave an independent lecture in Frostburg in 1882. Douglas lectured at multiple locations such as the fairgrounds in Cumberland and public halls in Frostburg.

Muller’s presentation will detail the visits that Douglass made to Cumberland and Frostburg and include insights into Douglass’ relationship with Lloyd Lowndes of Cumberland, who would later become governor of Maryland from 1896 to 1900. The presentation will discuss a since forgotten high-profile visit that Douglass made to lecture in Cumberland, where he arrived by train, was escorted through town by a large procession and spoke at the old fairgrounds in the company of local AME pastors, politicians and community leaders.

Muller is a street historian and author of “Frederick Douglass in Washington, D.C.: The Lion of Anacostia” and “Mark Twain in Washington, D.C.: The Adventures of a Capital Correspondent” and is working on “Lost History: Frederick (Bailey) Douglass in Baltimore City, 1825–1895.”

Muller has presented at the Library of Congress, American Library of Paris, Politics and Prose and Newseum and has been featured in several local and national outlets. In the past year, Muller presented a series of “lost history” lectures in Cambridge, Md., at the Harriet Tubman Museum and Education Center; Hagerstown, Md., at the Washington County Central Library and Ebenezer AME Church; Denton, Md., at the Caroline County Public Library; and in Baltimore City at the Enoch Pratt Central Library.

Muller’s lecture is presented by FSU’s Department of Sociology, Department of Geography and African American Studies Program. Muller will take questions following the presentation. For more information, contact Kara Rogers Thomas at krogersthomas@frostburg.edu.

FSU is committed to making all of its programs, services and activities accessible to persons with disabilities. To request accommodations through the ADA Compliance Office, call 301-687-4102 or use a Voice Relay Operator at 1-800-735-2258.