Edquina Washington

In 1893, Frederick Douglass invited Ida B. Wells to lunch. She noted a place across the street, but indicated they would not receive service there. “Mr. Douglass, in his vigorous way, grasped my arm and said, ‘Come, let’s go there.’” Together, they “sauntered in...as if it were an everyday occurrence, cocked and primed for the fight if necessary.” Douglass grabbed a table and chair for him and Wells, as “paralyzed” staff looked on. A stand-off ensued with wait staff until the proprietor realized it was Frederick Douglass, and warmly welcomed him while sharing stories of a time past when Douglass visited his hometown. “When [the proprietor] finally went to another part of the room, Mr. Douglass turned to me with a roguish look and said, ‘Ida, I thought you said that they didn’t serve us here. It seems we are getting more attention than we want.’” Frederick Douglass spent his life fighting for justice and equality. He never knew the date of his birth. This is something he struggled with throughout his lifetime. Douglass believed that he was born in the month of February in 1817. In fact, records show that Douglass was born in February of 1818. He chose the 14th of February for his birthday because his mother would call him her “little Valentine." Unfortunately, Douglass never knew much about his parentage. His mother, Harriet, was sold off when Douglass was but a child, and he only met her a few times before she passed away. Though born enslaved in Maryland, he escaped as a young man and became a leading voice in the abolitionist movement. 🖋️if you love our content, please consider supporting our page on AfricanArchives.Support (follow the ko-fi page too for weekly posts roundup)