"What is possible for me is possible for you."--Frederick Douglass, 19th-century escaped slave, abolitionist, journalist, public servant, champion of racial and gender equality and American hero.
The Frederick Douglass Seminars on Race Relations and Gender Equity provide young people with an experience to help them understand that they, like Frederick Douglass, may forge a portion of the American dream both for themselves and for others. Frederick Douglass' persona and his life are remarkable in almost every way. In the process of exploring the principles that empowered him to become a full citizen of America, student participants gain knowledge about the realities of American slavery and sex discrimination and understand that the freedoms we enjoy today were bought with a price. They learn that many people--white and black--worked tirelessly, for decades, to bring about the emancipation of slaves and to give women the opportunity to gain political equality with men.
Participants learn to understand the life of Frederick Douglass in the context of an American history that reveals why racism and discrimination still exist in this country. Programs today that address socio-economic inequities, affirmative action, equal opportunity, civil rights and human rights, are better understood when seen in the context of being solutions to historic American problems. Fremarjo Enterprises, Incorporated provides this program in the belief that once an educated person knows how and why a destructive condition exists, he or she is on the road to being able to remove that condition from his or her own life, and possibly from the lives of others.
Actor/educator Fred Morsell has brought his "Presenting Mr. Frederick Douglass" performances and workshops to over 500 schools and communities nationally since 1988, sharing Douglass' life, message of justice, and keys to success:
- Believe in yourself.
- Take advantage of every opportunity.
- Use the power of written and spoken language to effect positive change for yourself and society.
The Douglass Scholars Program combines an assembly presentation of Douglass' life with classroom discussions and hands-on workshops, where students apply Douglass' principles to their own lives experientially through role-playing and scenario writing. The program is most effective for students at the middle-school level and above.
Upcoming Performance Schedule
Real Video of Fred Morsell interviewed by Bill Moyers and on "Positively Black" with excerpts of his performances as Frederick Douglass
Real Video encoded for 56K modems 17 min.
Real Video encoded for 28.8K modems 17 min.
| The Mission of the Douglass Scholars Program is to empower young people to believe in themselves and to maximize their opportunities and potential by engagement with the life, philosophy, and achievements of Frederick Douglass. | 
Photo by Chris Koontz |
"Educational experiences don't get any more exciting or long-lasting than the kind of performance we were treated to by Mr. Fred Morsell."
- District Superintendent |
The Douglass Scholars Program is offered in several formats of varying lengths. The three-day comprehensive and residence programs provide intensive engagement with all 12 of the Douglass principles of success, as well as a presentation of student scenarios. Alternative two-day, one-day, and half-day programs adapt the process to deal selectively with the principles. All versions can be connected with service learning or other school initiatives. The program is designed for groups of approximately 30 students and up to 10 adults.
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