Douglass, Frederick. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Title

Douglass, Frederick. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Creator

Douglass, Frederick

Contributor

Post, Amy Kirby, 1802-1889

Date

1879-04-19

Description

Handwritten letter from Frederick Douglass to Amy Kirby Post. Douglass writes to Post explaining why he cannot lend Sojourner Truth money.

Subject

Post, Amy Kirby, b. 1802

Is Part Of

Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Rights

The organization that has made the Item available believes that the Item is in the Public Domain under the laws of the United States, but a determination was not made as to its copyright status under the copyright laws of other countries. The Item may not be in the Public Domain under the laws of other countries. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information. http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/

Identifier

1946

Location

Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester

Transcription

(Page 1)

                              April 19 1879
Amy Post.
       My dear friend:
                           I am truly sorry
to know that our friend Sojourner
Truth, is still in need of help
and equally sorry that I am so
little able to help her. I was pretty
well off in Rochester and had a dollar
or two to put in whenever the friends
of brave Sojourner were pleased to hand
around the hat for her. But now,
as I have said, I can do but little
in this time. Washington has been
a financial misfortune. I lost
ten thousand dollars by my
newspaper Enterprise and have ^been^
losing in other directions ever since.
I have now three families to support.
Three of Rosa’s Children, a part of

(Page 2)
of Charley’s whose wife is dead-
and my old sick brother Perry and
his daughter. Brother Perry has
been on the Doctor’s hands all
winter and is still very feeble.
I do not think he will ever
be able to make his own living
again. Slavery got about all the
work there was in him and he
has come to me to spend his
last days. He is a dear old
fellow and I am glad to have
a shelter for him. My position
here exposes me to an increasing
stream of applications for help and
I try to respond favorably to most
of them but I have now about
touched bottom. I bought property
when I came here when it
was dear and have it now
on my hands when it is
nearly worthless except in

(Page 3)
prospect.
Please find one dollar within for
the Sojourner Truth Fund. I wish
it were ten but ^should^ half the dear
old Lady’s friends will do as much
she will have many hundreds
to smooth her declining years.
I too regret that I can not
see and hear more of you. I
am glad to hear from you always
and shall be glad to help you
in any good work which may
engage your hand and heart-
though it be ever so little- for I
know your justice as well as
your benevolence. You say
nothing of Willie. I should be
delighted to see him and his
bride. Your hand writing
implies soundness of body and
mind- and gives me hope that
you may yet live long to bless the

                                          (Page 4)
the needy and unfortunate.
Remember ^me^ most kindly of Mrs. Titus
I should have been glad of
a word about all your
dear Circle William and Mary
Mr Willis and sister Sarah.
I expect to forget many
things before I die- but
never you or the dear
members of your family.
Anna is still pretty well,
and I feel pretty strong
though official life is making
me a little too fat.
            With kindest regards
                    yours truly always
                       Fredk Douglass

Annotations

Frederick Douglass, an abolitionist leader is writing from Washington D.C. to Amy Post, a fellow activist. Douglass mentions former slave and activist, Sojourner Truth. He refers to his newspaper the North Star. Douglass mentions caring for his grandchildren and his financial situation as a United States Marshal. Douglass refers to Post's youngest son, Willie, Esther Titus a family member, as well as Post's daughter Mary and her husband, William Hallowell and the Willis family. Douglass mentions his wife, Anna.

Tags

Abolitionism; Family

Collection

D.93 Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Citation

Douglass, Frederick, “Douglass, Frederick. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.,” RBSCP Exhibits, accessed November 23, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/4222.

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