Statue of Frederick Douglass

What it is

This bronze statue of Frederick Douglass was sculpted by Stanley W. Edwards and installed in Rochester, New York, in 1898-1899, three years after Douglass's death. It shows Douglass bearded, in a greatcoat, with his arms outstretched. It was commissioned by John W. Thompson, an African-American activist, and Douglass's son Charles Remond Douglass served as the model for the sculptor. The statue has since been relocated more than once and now stands in Frederick Douglass Memorial Plaza.

Why it matters

According to historical sources, this was the first statue in the United States to memorialize a specific African-American person. It was originally conceived as part of a monument to Black Civil War soldiers before becoming a tribute to Douglass himself after his sudden death. The surrounding plaques quote his speeches, and nearby sculptures reference the North Star, the name of the antislavery newspaper Douglass published in Rochester. The statue reveals how Rochester's Black community, led by Thompson, fought to honor Douglass publicly at a time when few such monuments existed.

Look closer

• Why do you think the statue shows Douglass with his arms outstretched?
• Why might it have been controversial to decide where in the city to place the statue?
• What do the inscribed quotations suggest about which parts of Douglass's message people wanted remembered?