Frederick Douglass Today
The legacy of the great abolitionist carried on by his descendants.
I lead a monthly reading group with the theme of Short Great Books. For February 2025, I selected Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass and we met on the evening of Monday, February 10th at Landmark Booksellers in Franklin, TN.
As the meeting commenced and the attendees began sharing their names, a young woman walked into the store to partake in the discussion. She introduced herself as April Greene, Great-Great-Great-Granddaughter of Frederick Douglass.
I was amazed. Here was a direct descendant of the American I had come to admire more than all others. She told how she was attempting to honor the life of her famous ancestor through quilt making. She told us about the Frederick Douglass she knew through family lore and example. Every male in her family since the son of Frederick Douglass has served in the U.S. Army. There has been a Douglass in every major war since the Civil War.
She also mentioned her father, Kevin Douglass Greene, who speaks around the country about the legacy of “The Lion that wrote History.” I got in touch with him immediately and asked if he could come to Landmark to give a talk. He did so this past Saturday. It was a delightful evening.
Kevin is a decorated U.S. Army veteran with 20 years of active service. He’s a staunch proponent of education, freedom, racial equity, and abolition of modern-day slavery. He works with other family members in the Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives. He also has a goal of reintroducing Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass to the world, and especially to young people. He would love to see Narrative, a 180 year old book, on the best-seller list.
He encouraged us to read all of Frederick’s works:
"Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave" (1845),
"My Bondage and My Freedom" (1855)
"Life and Times of Frederick Douglass" (1881)
He also hopes his own children will continue the legacy of Frederick Douglass. That they will continue the fight for racial equity, education, and the abolition of slavery.
You can watch the video of Kevin’s talk here:
