Res. No. 695
Title
Resolution commemorating the life and important legacy of Frederick Douglas, a major spokesperson for the Abolitionist Movement in 19th century America, and declaring February 14th as "Frederick Douglas Day" in the City of New York.
Body
By Council Members Barron, Boyland, Clarke, Comrie, Felder, Fidler, Jackson, Koppell, Lopez, Monserrate, Nelson, Reed, Rivera, Sanders, Seabrook, Sears, Stewart, Vann, Weprin and Yassky
Whereas, The institution of slavery and the monstrous injustice it committed upon
men, women, and children of African descent represented a profound moral
crisis in our nation, and was one of the bleakest periods in our history; and
Whereas, Confronted by the fierce and terrible inhumanity which allowed one
man to enslave another, there arose a number of courageous individuals willing to risk
their lives for the betterment of all humankind, individuals determined to expose the
horrors of slavery and put an end to its practice; and
Whereas, Few fought more valiantly, or had a greater impact on advancing the
abolitionist cause and eradicating slavery, than Frederick Douglas, an escaped slave
who, through sheer determination and force of will, educated himself to become one of
our nation's great statesmen, writers and orators; and
Whereas, The "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas, An American Slave,"
was Douglas's autobiographical first-hand account of his journey from slavery to
freedom; it not only stands as one of the most scathing indictments of slavery ever
written, but also shows the evolution of what Emerson called "the self-made man," that
heroic, archetypal figure whose distinguishing quality of self-reliance made him, in spirit,
a most representative American; and
Whereas, Frederick Douglas devoted his whole life to fighting for freedom,
especially the causes of Abolition and Women's Suffrage; he was an advisor to
Abraham Lincoln and helped to recruit black troops during the Civil War; and
Whereas, Frederick Douglas's example was highly instructive: among other
things, it taught people how, despite unimaginable hardship, suffering and incredible
risk to life, a determined individual could rise above his condition to achieve his goals
with dignity; and
Whereas, Frederick Douglas recognized justice and equality as the vital,
animating principles that should inform democracy, and dedicated his life to ensuring that
African-Americans received equal measures of both; and
Whereas, Frederick Douglas spoke out against the social forces that denied all
African-Americans life's fundamentals: faith, family, education, the capacity for bold
action and personal indentity; Douglas saw reclamation of these things as the key to the
survival, redemption and salvation of people of African lineage; and
Whereas, Frederick Douglas established the abolitionist paper The North Star on
December 3, 1847, in Rochester, NY, and developed it into the most influential black
anti-slavery paper published during the antebellum era; it was used to not only
denounce slavery, but to fight for the emancipation of women and other oppressed
groups; its motto was "Right is of no Sex - Truth is of no Color - God is the Father of us
all, and we are all brethren"; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York commemorates
the life and legacy of Frederick Douglas, and declares February 14th, 2003 as "Frederick
Douglas Day" in the City of New York.
WA
LS#2010
2/4/03
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