Library Staff Member Discovers Frederick Douglass Newspaper Issue
During the preparations for the renovation of Lavery Library, Michelle Price, special collections librarian, was organizing items for storage. Seeking assistance, she enlisted the help of Shannon Feeley, circulation supervisor, to sift through boxes containing regional newspapers. Amidst this sorting process, Feeley came upon a copy of the New National Era, a notable newspaper associated with Frederick Douglass.
According to the Library of Congress, the New National Era newspaper was a weekly publication in Washington D.C. and ran from 1870 until 1874. There were two individuals responsible for this publication, Frederick Douglass and J. Sella Martin, both former slaves who had become notable activists regarding anti-slavery and civil rights. Although Douglass is more widely recognized, it was Martin who initially held the responsibility for overseeing the formerly known as National Era publication and actively sought out Douglass for his expertise. Douglass accepted the role of "corresponding editor," but subsequently, after nine months, he assumed ownership of the publication from Martin. Following the acquisition, Douglass took on the dual role of editor and publisher and rebranded the publication as the New National Era.
The New National Era issue holds considerable significance for Lavery Library as it contributes to the enrichment of the University’s Frederick Douglass collection and facilitates comparative analyses across various editions and publications bearing his name. Since its finding, the New National Era issue has been appropriately integrated alongside the existing collection of papers from that periodical. The library plans to digitize the issue, allowing it to serve as a valuable research asset for scholars who study Douglass. To explore other issues of the New National Era and additional newspapers published by Douglas held in the Special Collections, visit Lavery Library’s Frederick Douglas Collection.