Welcome to Douglass Day 2026!

Douglass Day logo. Portrait of Frederick Douglass, surrounded by the words "Power Concedes Nothing Without a Demand" and "DouglassDay.org"

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Transcribe Colored Conventions

On Valentine’s Day 2026, we are throwing a birthday party for Frederick Douglass. All are invited!

Although Douglass never knew his birth date, he chose to celebrate every year on February 14th. We mark this day with a collective action that serves & celebrates Black history. Celebrating this year on February 13-14 and beyond!

How to Transcribe

Download the “how to guide” (PDF)

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Schedule – February 13

The live streamed program will be on our YouTube channel.

Live broadcast – 12:00 to 12:30pm

  • Welcome & introductions
  • Sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing” (lyrics)
  • Overview for the Douglass Day program
  • Speakers & More

Transcribing – 12:30 to 1:00pm

  • Time for transcribing, readings, discussions, etc.
  • During this time, we’ll leave the live stream running, but will go silent.
  • Try our Spotify playlist!

Live broadcast – 1:00 to 1:30pm

  • Sing “Happy birthday”
  • A dramatic reading of “Why Hold a Colored Convention?” by Hassan El-Amin

Transcribing – 1:30 to 2:00pm

  • Time for transcribing, readings, discussions, etc.
  • During this time, we’ll leave the live stream running, but will go silent.
  • Try our Spotify playlist!

Live broadcast – 2:00 to 2:25pm

  • The Colored Conventions Movement, Birthright Citizenship, and “All Rights for All”
  • Featuring short talks by Sherrilyn Ifill, P. Gabrielle Foreman, Andre Johnson, and Ronald Claude
  • Plus Teaching with Douglass Day by Denise Burgher

Transcribing – 2:25 to 2:45pm

  • Time for transcribing, readings, discussions, etc.
  • During this time, we’ll leave the live stream running, but will go silent.
  • Try our Spotify playlist!

Live broadcast – 2:45 to 3:00pm

  • Highlights from social media
  • Bake Off Prizes
  • Closing Reflections

Social Media

Event Resources

Learn More

Great Douglass Day Bake Off

  1. We can’t always share cakes in person, but we can still share them online!
  2. Make your best cakes & desserts
  3. Post photos on Bluesky or Instagram using #DouglassDay
  4. You’ll be entered into the Great Douglass Day Bake Off contest

Don’t use social media? Enter by sending a photo to us by email at douglassdayorg@gmail.com.

Acknowledgements

Douglass Day 2026 is brought to you by the UC Santa Barbara Department of English, UCSB Division of Humanities and Fine Arts, and UCSB Library, in partnership with the Center for Black Digital Research (DigBlk) at The Pennsylvania State University, along with the Penn State College of the Liberal Arts and the Penn State University Libraries.

Major thanks and praise for Zooniverse, at the Adler Planetarium!

And special thanks to all of our event organizers, collaborators, and fellow transcribers!

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