Douglass Day & the Library of Congress
Douglass Day and By the People go back to 2021! Read more about our partnership!
On February 14, 2025, you are invited to join us for another year of preserving Black history!
In 2017, we began celebrating Douglass Day as a collective action for Black history. Over the years, Douglass Day has grown into an annual, worldwide phenomenon — thanks to you!
This year, we are excited to continue our partnership with the Library of Congress. We are returning once again to the By the People platform. Douglass Day 2025 will feature a new crowdsourcing project on the LOC’s African American Perspectives collection and much more!
As this year’s program takes shape, we wanted to take a moment to recognize that YOU MAKE HISTORY! Please scroll below to see what we have accomplished together. You inspire us!
Register today for Douglass Day — and make sure you register to vote!
Douglass Day 2021: The Beginning
Did you know that Mary Church Terrell played a key role in establishing Douglass Day and has a connection to the Library of Congress?
Following Frederick Douglass’s death in 1895, a group headed by Terrell in Washington, D. C. initiated “Douglass Day,” as an annual observance of Douglass’s birthday on February 14th. Terrell’s papers, which include valuable information about the creation of Douglass Day, were donated to the Library of Congress by her daughter, Phyllis Terrell Langston from 1955 to 1975.
In 2021, we transcribed the Library’s “A Life Illuminated” project, which included Terrell’s personal and professional papers. Over 7,600 people in 117 locations came together and made Terrell’s life and work more accessible! Now, you can search these transcriptions and download the transcription dataset. Douglass Day and By the People have quite a history!
Douglass Day 2024: Transcribe Douglass
This year, we successfully transcribed 100% of available materials for the BTP’s campaign, "Yours truly, Frederick Douglass". Douglass Day 2024 was our largest participation total in Douglass Day history with 8,500 people transcribing and celebrating in 165 locations!
The Douglass Day 2024 Team at Work
Planning, Planning, Planning!
Mission Accomplished!
Highlights from #DouglassDay!
Great Douglass Day Bakeoff Winners
Douglass Day 2024 Livestream
Check out last year’s livestream in case you missed the celebration or want to know more about the biggest party of the year!
You don’t want to miss all we have in store!
