Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, in Washington, D.C., was the final home of Frederick Douglass, a leading abolitionist and civil rights leader in the 1800’s. He was the most influential spokesman of African Americans during that time. Douglass fought to end slavery and gain equal rights for all people.
The historic site includes Cedar Hill, Douglass’s hilltop estate, which overlooks the Capitol, the Washington Monument, and the Anacostia River. When Douglass and his wife, Anna, purchased the home in 1877, they became the first black family to live in the Anacostia neighborhood. Douglass’s guests at Cedar Hill included abolitionist Harriet Tubman and women’s rights leaders Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. Douglass lived at Cedar Hill until his death in 1895.
Almost all the items in Cedar Hill are original furnishings from Douglass’s time. Paintings and photographs of family friends and fellow reformers, including abolitionist John Brown and President Abraham Lincoln, hang throughout the house. Many of Douglass’s personal belongings, including his bowler hat and eyeglasses, are also on display.
A visitor center at the site includes such items as a statue of Douglass and family photographs. Quotations from his many speeches and publications cover the walls of the center. Visitors can also watch a movie about the life of Douglass.
The property was added to the National Park System as the Frederick Douglass Home in 1962. It became a national historic site in 1988.
