Frederick Douglass dies in Washington, D.C., hours after attending a meeting of the National Council of Women.
At a Glance
- Date
- 20 February 1895
- Location
- Washington, D.C.
- Key people
- Frederick Douglass
- Category
- Abolition & Slavery
- Source
- Contemporary obituaries, February 20, 1895 · National Park Service
What It Meant Then
His death closed the life of the leading bridge between abolition and post-emancipation citizenship.
What It Means Now
His homes and writings are preserved as national landmarks and core American texts.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “Frederick Douglass Dies.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/frederick-douglass-dies/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). Frederick Douglass Dies. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/frederick-douglass-dies/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “Frederick Douglass Dies.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/frederick-douglass-dies/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.