[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 122 (Tuesday, September 15, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1726]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 FREDERICK DOUGLASS DAY IN NEW BEDFORD

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BARNEY FRANK

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 15, 1998

  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, as the Representative of New 
Bedford, Massachusetts for nearly six years, I am always pleased to 
have the opportunity to discuss the city's remarkable history. Indeed, 
New Bedford's marvelous heritage has been recognized by the U.S. 
Congress with the passage in 1996 of the legislation establishing a 
National Park in the city to commemorate its role as an international 
whaling center. A lesser known, but also important, element of New 
Bedford's history is its role as a way station on the Underground 
Railroad. That legacy will be celebrated in the city on Thursday, 
September 17, the 160th anniversary of the arrival in New Bedford of 
Frederick Douglass and his wife. As part of that celebration, New 
Bedford Mayor Frederick Kalisz, Jr. has issued a proclamation 
designating September 17 as ``Frederick Douglass Day'' in the city.
  Frederick Douglass (who took that surname after arriving in New 
Bedford), is of course known to history as one of the prominent escaped 
slaves and abolitionists. However, he also lived and raised a family 
for four years in New Bedford before his personal and political 
journeys took him elsewhere. Though we are today many decades removed 
from both his arrival in New Bedford and from the terrible period in 
our history when slavery existed in this nation, the issue of race 
relations remains a major problem in this country. And I believe it is 
important for us to keep the memory of that time alive for several 
reasons. Obviously, we must never forget either the absolute violation 
of every conceivable notion of human rights that slavery represented or 
the stirring achievements of those who traveled on, or helped other 
travel on, the Underground Railroad, at an extraordinary risk to their 
lives. But is also important for us to focus on the past because the 
lessons of that period in our history are still with us today, and as 
we attempt to alleviate the racial inequities which still exist in our 
society, we must not forget what came before.
  For these reasons, I am very pleased that, as part of the ongoing 
work of the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, the National 
Park Service has been helping improve our understanding of the city's 
role in the Underground Railroad. This effort will be supplemented in 
many valuable ways now that the President has signed into law the 
National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act, a bill I 
cosponsored and strongly supported. These two initiatives, along with 
the continued fine work of the many residents of New Bedford who have 
done so much to keep the Underground Railroad legacy alive for years 
without federal assistance, will ensure that this important history is 
preserved for future generations. Though I regret that I am unable to 
join in the celebration in person because the House will be in session 
on the 17th, I am especially pleased that New Bedford will be taking 
the time to publicly celebrate the 160th anniversary of this important 
date in the city's and our country's history, and I ask that the 
Mayor's proclamation on Frederick Douglass Day be reprinted here.

                              Proclamation


                         Frederick Douglass Day

       Whereas: New Bedford was an important station on the 
     ``underground railroad'' and
       Whereas: Frederick and Anna Johnson arrived in New Bedford 
     on September 17, 1838 via the underground railroad and
       Whereas: Frederick and Anna Johnson were given refuge by 
     Nathan and Mary Johnson at their 21 Seventh Street residence 
     and
       Whereas: Nathan Johnson was responsible for giving 
     Frederick his last name of DOUGLASS and
       Whereas: Frederick received one of his first jobs as a 
     freeman, on the wharves of New Bedford and
       Whereas: Three of the Douglass children were born in New 
     Bedford, Rosetta, Lewis, and Frederick Jr. and
       Whereas: Frederick Douglass gave his first speech in New 
     Bedford, at the Third Christian Church and
       Whereas: The Douglass family resided in New Bedford until 
     1842 and
       Whereas: September 17, 1998, marks the 160th anniversary of 
     the escape of Frederick Douglass from slavery to New Bedford.
       Therefore, I, Mayor Frederick M. Kalisz Jr., hereby 
     proclaim Thursday September 17, 1998, as FREDERICK DOUGLASS 
     DAY and urge all its citizens to appropriately commemorate 
     this day.

     

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