Baltimore, MD - June 9, 2021 - On Saturday, June 19, 2021 (Juneteenth), the Canton Community Association, in partnership with the Baltimore National Heritage Area (BNHA) and the Friends of President Street Station, will unveil a set of historic panels commemorating Frederick Douglass’ escape from slavery in 1838.

Join us at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 19th at 2809 Boston Street in Canton, the site of the former depot where Frederick Bailey – later known as Frederick Douglass – boarded a train to freedom in the north.

Douglass, who made his escape dressed as a sailor, kept this story to himself until he published his third autobiography in 1881. Although Douglass’ account leaves out many logistical details, (including the location of the station), recent research of contemporary documents completed by Dr. Raymond Bahr, citizen historian and founder of the Canton History Project, points to the location of a long-lost railroad depot on Boston Street (in front of what is now Tindeco Wharf Apartments).

“I heard the theory (from anecdotal sources) that Frederick Bailey, then enslaved in the shipyards of Fell’s Point, probably escaped on a train leaving a station on Boston Street in Canton. So, with the help of colleagues, I dug into contemporary maps, news articles, reports of the Canton Company, and the lore of local railroad historians to fill in a more complete picture of the preconditions young Frederick faced and what decisions he made when planning his escape. We were very excited to discover that such a pivotal moment in history occurred in our neighborhood.” – Dr. Raymond Bahr.

Following his escape from Baltimore, Douglass continued to battle against slavery, oppression, and inequality throughout American society. Today, Douglass is recognized as the most historically consequential American raised in Maryland. His writings about race relations, human liberty, and political power are painfully relevant and consistently impactful.

Shauntee Daniels, Executive Director of BNHA says that, "Projects like this bring to the forefront that Baltimore City is the home of historical moments that deeply impacted the Nation. It is important that communities do this type of research and that entities like BNHA amplify their findings and fund ways that this information can be shared for many generations to come. We are proud to be part of this community's efforts to mark this important piece of our Baltimore story."

The dedication program will include remarks by:
Raymond Bahr, Historian, Canton History Project & Alliance History Committee
Bradley Alston, Baltimore City Historical Society Board Member and Urban Ranger
Shauntee Daniels, Executive Director, The Baltimore National Heritage Area
Zeke Cohen, Councilmember, Baltimore City District 1Mark Edelson, President, Canton Community AssociationYoung Scholars (Schools TBA)
Funding for this project was provided by The Baltimore National Heritage Area via its Heritage Investment Grant (HIG).

For more information on the event please visit - https://fb.me/e/FZha8JIv
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