News Flash

Virtual Port Hampton Lecture
Frederick Douglass Speaking Tour
Facebook Video Premier – Monday, December 7, 7 pm
Now in its 7th year, and back to the museum by popular demand, don’t miss this virtual stop on the Frederick Douglass Speaking Tour. Poet, author and spoken word performer Nathan M. Richardson captures the physical and spiritual essence of the great writer, orator and abolitionist Frederick Douglass. In commemoration of the 100^th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment that guaranteed women's constitutional right to vote, Richardson will share Douglass’ views on women’s rights.

As Douglass, Richardson will share the story of his life; followed by an excerpt recital of his 1848 speech to the International Council of Women in Seneca Falls, NY, on "Woman Suffrage." He’ll concluding the program by answering questions from the virtual audience via Facebook comments about his letters and activism supporting such notable women as Lucretia Mott, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Harriet Tubman, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, Victoria Woodhull and the role of Native-American Women in the movement.

Nathan M. Richardson is a published author, performance poet and Douglass Historian.  His poetry collections  include  "Likeness of Being", "Twenty-one Imaginary T-shirts" and "Voices from the Wombs of Wisdom."  His work has been widely re-published in anthologies, magazines and newspapers such as the Channel Marker, The Cupola, Coastal Virginia Magazine and the Washington Post. Nathan teaches a variety of workshops for emerging writers and is the creator and host of the Poetry, Prose & Pizza Open Mic series.  Nathan is a  former coach and current ambassador-at-large for the Hampton Roads Youth Poets.

Switching hats frequently from literature to history, he is now in his 6th year of The Frederick Douglass Speaking Tour; a living history performance in which he captures completely the physical and spiritual essence of the former slave, writer, orator and abolitionist Frederick Douglass. This living history series has produced film credits with the National Park  Service and Alabama Public Television. A short list of Nathan's other affiliations include the Suffolk Arts League, the Poetry Society of Virginia, Young Audiences of Virginia, 1st Amendment / 1st Vote, and  the Association of  Native & African History Professionals.