Dr. Robert Forrant, RFDT project scholar and Professor of History at UMass Lowell, set the stage for “Reading Frederick Douglass Together.”
Lowell– Lowell Community Charter Public School (LCCPS) hosted “Reading Frederick Douglass Together” on June 12, 2025 in The Luna Theater at LCCPS.
In recognition of Juneteenth, this inaugural event featured students and members of the greater Lowell community reading Frederick Douglass’ speech, “The Meaning of the Fourth of July for the Negro.”
The project scholar, Dr. Robert Forrant, Professor of History at UMass Lowell, opened the program and led a discussion after the reading that engaged the audience in considering the historical and contemporary context of Douglass’ speech and its enduring relevance.
A reception, catered by Infuse Afro-Fusion of Lowell, followed the event in The Parlour at LCCPS.
This historically important event was made possible by a grant from Mass Humanities, a state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, which provided funding through the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC).
Left to right: Tenesha Scarlett, Cecilia Idika-Kalu, Gordon Donkoh-Halm, Cyrinah Morris, Leonard Russ, Masada Jones, Ernest Nwachan, Kim Shanahan, Mona Tyree, Carol Arsenault, and Dr. Robert Forrant, project scholar. Student readers l-r: Declan Scarlett, Shawna Idika-Kalu, Eleina Nherrison, Denise Ayuma, Wenezar Bitariho, Josiah Kabuye, Natania Karori.
