ASSEMBLY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY JOINT RESOLUTION No. 180

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  AUGUST 24, 2020

      The Assembly Community Development and Affairs Committee reports favorably Assembly Joint Resolution No. 180.

     This joint resolution designates February 14 of each year as Frederick Douglass Day in New Jersey.

     Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in or around 1818 in Talbot County, Maryland.  From the age of 6 to the age of 20, Frederick Douglass was a slave to multiple different slave owners.  While enslaved, Frederick Douglas was abused and received very minimal education.  Frederick Douglass learned to read and write through self-education and soon began teaching other slaves how to read using the Bible.  After years of abuse and after multiple failed attempts to escape, Frederick Douglass finally escaped from slavery in 1838 and sought refuge in a safe house in New York.

     Frederick Douglass became a famous abolitionist, human rights activist, writer, and speaker throughout the country recounting his experiences as a slave, speaking out against injustices, and supporting women’s rights.  He became a leader of the abolitionist movement, the first African-American member to attend the Seneca Falls Convention for women’s rights, and an advisor to multiple presidents on the subjects of slavery and black suffrage.  Frederick Douglass also authored multiple autobiographies throughout his lifetime.  The list of Frederick Douglass’ accomplishments is extensive and his remarkable life should be remembered and celebrated throughout the State of New Jersey.