The Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society (Lit and Phil) has established an annual lecture series celebrating the legacy of Frederick Douglass, the renowned author, orator, and American statesman.
The initiative marks the 180th anniversary of Douglass delivering historic lectures across Manchester and surrounding regions.
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Inaugural Lecture and Collaboration
The first lecture, titled Frederick Douglass: A Global Life, took place in June 2026.
It was organized in collaboration with the peacebuilding organization Carisma and the University of Manchester research platform Creative Manchester.
Historian David Olusoga delivered the inaugural lecture, highlighting how Douglass's time in a non-segregated society allowed him intellectual growth.
"The impact of Frederick Douglass on Britain and Britain’s impact on him, was profound," Olusoga said. "He became a sensation.
He revitalised the anti-slavery cause here in Britain in a way that no other speaker could."
Douglass's Journey to Freedom
Born into slavery in Maryland in 1818, Douglass escaped to the northern United States as a teenager with financial help from his future wife, Anna Murray.
He published his first autobiography in 1845.
That same year, Douglass began a 19-month tour of Britain and Ireland, using Manchester as his primary base.
He spoke at venues like the Free Trade Hall and the Mechanics Institute while Manchester was at the center of the global cotton trade, processing materials grown and packed by enslaved individuals.
During his stay, Douglass gathered funds to launch his abolitionist newspaper, the North Star, and officially secured his legal freedom.
