Brady Lundt, MTN Reporter
Feb. 21, 2020
MTSU will host a special event Friday evening celebrating the legacy of Frederick Douglass.
“Frederick Douglass’ Plea for Free Speech and Open Inquiry” will feature a guest lecture by Dr. Nicholas Buccola, founding director of the Frederick Douglass Forum on Law, Rights, and Justice at Oregon’s Linfield College.
“Frederick Douglass is, without question, one of the most important thinkers in American history,” said MTSU Political Economy Research Institute Director Dr. Daniel Smith. “We are excited to host Dr. Buccola for a lecture on how Douglass exercised free speech to become a recognized leader of the abolitionist movement.”
The presentation will also include a collection of rare books and historical documents. Some of the texts on display include first edition copies of the Gettysburg Address, the Emancipation Proclamation and “Dred: A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp” by Harriet Beecher Stowe.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see these important texts and books in person and to gain a deeper appreciation for the role they played in American history,” said Smith.
The event begins at 6:30pm Friday in the Tennessee Room of MTSU’s James Union Building.