To commemorate our 50th anniversary in 2024, we produced a series of short films that revisit the Mass Humanities archive. The Speech is the Star examines the explosion in popularity of the Reading Frederick Douglass Together program, from its first public reading in 2009 to the 60+ readings that took place in 2024.
Douglass readings have become a staple around the Commonwealth, especially at Juneteenth celebrations. In 2023, Mass Humanities published a set of trauma-informed guidelines to help communities address racial trauma.
You can host a Douglass reading in your community, too! Visit our grants page for more information about how to apply.