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Douglass’
Monthly was published by Frederick Douglass, the noted
abolitionist who was born into slavery, in Rochester, NY from August
1860 through August 1863. It
was preceded by Douglass’ weekly newspaper which began publication
in 1847 as Northstar, with the name changed in 1850 to Frederick
Douglass’ Paper. When
his publication reduced its frequency, Douglass explained that he
could put his time to better use in traveling and speaking than he
could by publishing every week and he also complained about his
subscribers not paying up. The
Monthly’s price was a $1 per year for the 16-page paper.
A significant portion of Douglass’ initial and continuing
support came from England.
Thirty-five issues
of the “Monthly” plus a one-page “valedictory” were
published over the three-year period, and 30 of them plus the
“valedictory” are included here through the courtesy of the
American Antiquarian Society and the Chicago Historical Society.
What makes
Douglass’ Monthly especially interesting is its detailed coverage of
events not covered to the same extent elsewhere in this collection.
Specific examples include:
- The
complete text of President-elect Abraham Lincoln’s 1861
pre-inauguration speeches in Springfield, Indianapolis,
Cincinnati, Cleveland and Albany.
- President
Lincoln’s messages to Congress in December 1861 and 1862.
- A
positive attitude towards emigration of free blacks to Hayti (as
it was spelled then), but a negative outlook on colonization in
Africa (the return of free blacks to Africa).
- Detailed
coverage of General John C. Fremont’s Confiscation Act in
Missouri (freeing the slaves there in 1861), which was
countermanded by President Lincoln.
- A
record of escapes, auctions and other individual occurrences
involving slaves, most of them taken from other named newspapers.
- Active
promotion of the use of “colored troops” in the Union Army.
In fact, in his valedictory published on August 16, 1863,
Douglass states that: “I
discontinue my paper, because I can better serve my bleeding
countrymen whose great opportunity has now come, by going South
…to assist Adjutant General (Lorenzo) Thomas in the organization
of colored troops…”
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