Frederick Douglass Oratorical Contest

Frederick Douglass emancipated himself from slavery and went on to become outspoken abolitionist, author and famous public speaker.  Frederick Douglass' last home in Washington, DC is now preserved and operated by the National Park Service and year-round the site offers a variety of special programs to the public.  The site's annual oratorical contest is an opportunity for students in 1st to 12th grades that includes students learning a portion of one of Douglass' speeches and performing it for a panel of judges.  There is both an on-line contest on December 7th and 8th (so students can be anywhere in the U.S.) and an in-person contest on December 9th and 10th which will be held at the Anacostia Arts Center just a few blocks from the Douglass Home.  The contest is accessible to deaf and hard of hearing students.  Complete information and materials to help students prepare can be found at www.nps.gov/frdo  The contest entry deadline has been extended until November 22nd, 2022.