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Guidelines and documents to help you host a successful event.
You may choose to host an event at your community center or historical society, at a public day or festival in your town, before Independence Day fireworks, in your backyard, or even at a fair.
To get started, you need to apply for a Reading Frederick Douglass Together grant.
For more information on grants and other ways to plan events, please contact Dr. Latoya Bosworth, Program Officer, at lbosworth@masshumanities.org.
We suggest that you read the speech at a local event or commemoration. Any number of places would make for a good reading, such as with the lunch crowd in a public place, at the public library, during a 4th of July family barbecue, before the local fireworks display, or at microphones set up on the steps of the town hall. You could also work with a private group and use the speech as your book club’s monthly read, for example.
The speech (edited for different lengths) is available below for download. Make copies for readers and audience members. If it is a large event, you may need to arrange for amplification, and depending on the location, you may need to get a permit from your town hall and/or arrange for wheelchair access and seating. If your event will include a moderated discussion, be sure to prepare for that. Local (community) colleges are great places to find discussion leaders, and Mass Humanities will fund a reasonable stipend for a humanities scholar to serve as a discussion leader.
People talk more freely and happily if they can have something to eat and drink. If the event is public, oftentimes a local market (including the supermarket) is willing to donate cookies or fruit and lemonade.
Invite locally well-known persons to introduce the event or start off the reading. Collaborate with other organizations so that you will have more attendees, more resources, and more publicity. (Consider if you will need a permit and/or amplification.)
Download various lengths of Frederick Douglass’ 4th of July speech.
In English
Abridged – Short version (approx. 30 minutes)
Abridged – Medium version (approx. 35 minutes)
In Haitian Kreyol:
Download this PDF for tips on leading trauma-informed discussions, best practices, and other suggestions.
Download this PDF for proactive tips and strategies to maintain safety and security at your event.
Please read through the Mass Humanities Publicity Guidelines. We encourage you to download our Media Kit as well.
Submit your event to your local public radio station and other online community calendars. Some online calendars allow you to submit a small image for a calendar listing. You can download an image of Douglass here.
Find out who they are and invite them! Find your Senator’s telephone and email. Find your Representative’s telephone and email. Phone and fax communications are most effective.
Below you will find a downloadable poster to customize with your event’s details. You will need Acrobat Reader to edit the PDF. Just click on the poster graphic to download, open the PDF, and fill in the details on the screen. Print and copy as needed.
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Mass Humanities
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Northampton, MA 01060
Mass Humanities
66 Bridge Street,
Northampton, MA 01060
