Frederick Douglass Day 2026
Celebrate Frederick Douglass Day with fellow Vols during Black History Month! Frederick Douglass Day celebrations will take place from February 9–13. For the past eight years, the Department of English has honored the legacy of Douglas with engaging events including keynote addresses, special collections exhibits, and the wildly-popular Transcribe-a-Thon.
February 11 from 4:30–5:30 p.m. | Lindsay Auditorium (in Hodges Library)
Black History Month Lighting Talks
February 11 from 6:00–7:00 p.m. | Lindsay Auditorium
A Conversation with Robert Bland facilitated by Danielle Procope Bell, Africana Studies
February 12 from 4:30–5:30 p.m. | Lindsay Auditorium
Plenary Tark by Courtney Murray Ross
February 13 from 12:00–3:00 p.m. | McClung Tower 1215-16
Frederick Douglass Day Transcribe-a-Thon
February 13 (all day) | Hodges Library, Special Collections
Special Collections Exhibit/Visit
This year’s celebration centers on the enduring legacy of Frederick Douglass as a powerful advocate for justice, education, and equality. As one of the most influential voices of the 19th century, Douglass’s work as an abolitionist, writer, and orator continues to inspire and resonate in today’s world.
His advocacy for equality, civic engagement, and human rights inspires modern movements for change, while his belief in education as a path to liberation underscores its importance today. Events such as the Black History Month Lightning Talks offers Scholars of African American history and other related fields an opportunity to share their research. A Conversation with Robert Bland, facilitated by Danielle Procope Bell (Africana Studies), will discuss his forthcoming book, Requiem for Reconstruction: Black Countermemory and the Legacy of the Lowcountry’s Lost Political Generation (out from the University of North Carolina Press in January 2026).
The Plenary Talk by Courtney Murray Ross provides insight on the role of Black writers of the nineteenth century and the importance of their literature, while the Transcribe-a-Thon offers an exciting opportunity to teach students about primary source research. In conjunction with the Douglass Day celebrations hosted by the Colored Conventions, UT holds its own Transcibe-a-thon, inviting university and community members to learn Black history, enjoy food from local business, and practice transcription. The event features an easy-to-learn transcription interface that allows students to explore and discover historical writing. Local high school students will also visit campus to participate in Douglass Day events, including a trip to the Special Collections Exhibit in Hodges Library where they will learn about archival material and research.
By honoring Frederick Douglass and reflecting on his contributions, we celebrate not just his historical achievements but also the ways in which his vision continues to inform and inspire us today.
A Conversation with Robert Bland
“Thinking With(in) the Hold: The Slave Ship & Its Afterlives in Nineteenth-Century Black Literature and Print”
with Courtney Murray Ross
Thursday, February 12 at 4:30 p.m., Hodges Library Auditorium
Free and open to the public. Sponsored by the University of Tennessee Departments of English, History, and Africana Studies, the Denbo Center for Humanities and the Arts, UT Libraries, UT Pride Center, and UT Special Collections. Douglass Day is presented by the Library of Congress and the Center for Black Digital Research.