Focus on Statue of Frederick Douglass (Rochester, New York) and explain the Douglass Bicentennial replicas.
There was a wide variety of events and commemorations in 2018 for the 200th birthday of Douglass. Of the three major initiatives, one focused on moving the original statue and erecting a series of life sized replicas of the statue through the city as part of a "history trail." The project leader stated, "We wanted to take the legend of Frederick Douglass off the pedestal and bring it to the streets of Rochester where he walked. The legacy piece is well taken care of. ... What we're into is, what does Frederick Douglass mean today, locally and as far as our national conversation?" The 13 new statues were made by sculptor Olivia Kim by layering epoxy and fiberglass, based on 80 measurements made of the Sidney W. Edwards statue. However, Kim modified the sculpture to reduce the stern posture of the original. She stated, "You can see when he's much older, he has genuine relaxation and happiness in his face, which is something you never see before. His life was about enormous struggle, but also about finding a way through." The hands of the replicas were made from casts of Kenneth B. Morris, Jr.'s hands. Morris is the great-great-great-grandson of Douglass and the Co-Founder and President of Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives. The statues were placed in locations important to Douglass's legacy:
Aqueduct Park, next to the Talman Building from which The North Star and The Frederick Douglass Newspaper were published
The former site of the AME Zion Church where The North Star was originally published, and a stop on the Underground Railroad
The former site of the Douglass Family farm
The building formerly the Central Presbyterian Church, the site of Douglass's funeral
Original location of the Douglass statue in 1899
The site of Douglass's famous "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" speech
Douglass's first home
The site of the Seward School that was attended by Douglass's children
Kelsey's Landing in Maplewood Park, an Underground Railroad departure point
Mount Hope Cemetery, where Douglass and members of his family are buried
Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument located in Washington Square Park, which prompted the initial idea for the statue
University of Rochester's Rush Rhees Library with information on Douglass's work in Rochester
SUNY Rochester Educational Opportunity Center, The College at Brockport, State University of New York display on Douglass's commitment to education
Talman Building Maplewood Park What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July? The North Star Washington Square Park Mount Hope Cemetery University of Rochester Sidney W. Edwards Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument Frederick Douglass The College at Brockport, State University of New York