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Douglass Day 2025

Community members are invited to participate in transcribe-a-thons at the library and the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum and to view a Special Collections Showcase at Firestone Library.

Transcribe-a-thons are events where people work side-by-side on a crowdsourcing transcription project. This year's focus: "The African American Perspectives Collection" from the Library of Congress.

Douglass Day is a national celebration of social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer and statesman Frederick Douglass coordinated by the Library of Congress on Douglass's elective birthday, Feb. 14.

Transcribe-a-thon

Noon to 3 p.m. 

Join us at one of our two transcription locations:

• Princeton Public Library, Community Room
• Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum

A limited number of computers will be available at the library, so please bring a laptop if possible. Those attending at the museum will need to bring a laptop as none are available on site.

Food reflective of African American culinary traditions (and cakes!) will be served at both locations.

About the collection (from DouglassDay.org):

"The African American Perspectives Collection at the Library of Congress offers a wide-ranging look at African American history and culture through prominent figures like Frederick Douglass, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, and Booker T. Washington. This collection, spanning across the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, primarily features works from the African American Pamphlet Collection and the Daniel A.P. Murray Collection.

"We have over 9,000 digitized pages in store ranging across many genres such as biographies, fugitive narratives, pamphlets, and more!"

Special Collections Showcase at Princeton University's Firestone Library

2-4 p.m.

Drop by the Lobby of Firestone Library at Princeton University for a pop-up Special Collections Showcase, featuring objects by and about Frederick Douglass and other significant works featuring African American perspectives.

Presented in partnership with Digital Scholarship Services (DiScho) at the Princeton University Library, the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum, Princeton University's Center for Digital Humanities and with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this programming do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Community Room Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Assistive listening system compatible with personal T-coil-enabled devices (compatible headphones also available for use during programs)
• English-language subtitles for films (when available)
• If there is an accommodation that you need or would like so that you can fully enjoy library programs, please visit our Accommodations Request Form.

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