The Frederick Douglass Papers Project collects, edits, and publishes the writings of Frederick Douglass—including speeches, letters, autobiographies, and newspaper contributions—in both printed volumes and an online database.
The online collection, hosted alongside the Library of Congress, includes approximately 7,400 items (38,000+ images), primarily from the period 1841–1895, with additional materials into the 20th century. It encompasses diaries (such as his 1886–87 Europe/Africa tour), correspondence (including letters exchanged with Susan B. Anthony and James G. Blaine), subject files, financial/legal records, speeches, and writings.
Public access began via microfilm of Douglass’s collection held at his home “Cedar Hill”, which was transferred to the Library of Congress in the early 1970s. Subsequent digitization efforts now provide broad access to his documents, making the project an unparalleled resource for scholars of abolition, civil rights, and 19th‑century American history.
