161 years ago, Frederick Douglass spoke in Poughkeepsie. A 'Hamilton' actor will reenact it

Elizabeth Randolph had no idea that Frederick Douglass gave an Emancipation Day speech at College Hill in Poughkeepsie. 

Interviewing fellow board members of her organization, Celebrating the African Spirit, and researchers from Vassar College about the hidden history of slavery in Poughkeepsie, she learned about Douglass' speech delivered in 1858.

More than 160 years later, Celebrating the African Spirit is putting together a reenactment of the speech with actor Paul Oakley Stovall, a member of the "Hamilton" touring cast. 

On Aug. 1, Stovall will recite the speech at the original site of Douglass' address at the parks pavilion. He will be accompanied by Souls United of Hudson Valley, an interfaith gospel choir and the Percussion Orchestra of Kingston, a youth ensemble. 

The speech recognized the date Great Britain abolished slavery on Aug. 1, 1834. Just prior to the Civil War, Douglass, a former slave, took the risk of speaking out in Poughkeepsie. 

"In 1858, when Douglass delivered his speech, the U.S. was at a precipice — would slavery be abolished or not?" she said. "New York’s Gradual Emancipation Act, passed in 1799, had stipulated that children born to a slave mother would thereafter be 'free,' but only after reaching the ages of 25 for women and 28 for men. I wouldn’t call that gradual. I’d call that glacial.

"In addition to that, there were more than four million enslaved blacks in the South and there was a danger that slavery would expand to new states and territories. The stakes were high," Randolph added. 

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In addition to Celebrating the African Spirit, the College Hill event is sponsored by the City of Poughkeepsie and the Helen Forster Novy 1928 Fund at Vassar College. 

"We're hoping people will gain a deeper understanding of what was at stake during this time, just how precarious things were when slavery was hanging in the balance," Randolph said. "But we'd also like people to come out and discover the beautiful and historic park that so many have never visited." 

City of Poughkeepsie Councilmember Yvonne Flowers said prior to being asked to assist with the event she didn't realize Douglass spoke in Poughkeepsie. 

"This is the type of history that residents of Poughkeepsie, especially our youth in the Black community, should know that an influential many like Frederick Douglass chose Poughkeepsie to give his emancipation speech and drew thousands of people to College Hill to hear it," she said. 

This will not be the the first time Stovall takes on the role of a historical figure. He played the role of George Washington in the first national tour of "Hamilton: An American Musical," a genre-smashing musical with Black and Latino actors playing the Founding Fathers.

Stovall has also performed in the national tours of "Rent" and "Once on This Island," as well as various Off-Broadway productions. Stovall is also working on a limited television series centered on Douglass.  

The event will kick off at 1 p.m. on Aug. 1, and guests are invited to bring a picnic lunch to the park. At 2 p.m. the procession led by the choir and youth ensemble will begin. Stovall will take the stage shortly after to perform "The Poughkeepsie Words of Frederick Douglas." 

Katelyn Cordero is the education reporter for the Poughkeepsie Journal: kcordero@poughkeepsiejournal.com; Twitter: @KatelynCordero.