Famed abolitionist and freedom fighter Frederick Douglass spoke at the commencement ceremony of Western Reserve College in Hudson, OH on July 12, 1854.

His remarks from that day are recalled and commemorated through the installation of a 66-foot-tall banner on Case Western Reserve University’s Triangle Building, where a larger-than-life image of Douglass stands below an observation from that address that still resonates 168 years after Douglass said it: “The relation subsisting between the white and black people of this country is the vital question of the age.”

Douglass was a quintessential freedom fighter. Born into bondage in 1818 and sold repeatedly in slave markets, Douglass secretly taught himself to read and write — a crime punishable by death — and became one of America’s eloquent orators after escaping from slavery. He later became active in the women’s rights movement. 

Cleveland-based graphic artist and activist John Brown VI was commissioned by Case Western Reserve’s Putnam Collection to design the banner. A graduate of Ohio University, Brown played an integral role in student-led protests and social resistance. Today, he uses personal experiences to influence his design work, considering themes of interaction, audience, and conversation. 

Artist John Brown VI. || Photo credit: Amber N. Ford

“Nearly two centuries later, Douglass’ words are still relevant,” said Brown. “In the ‘modern world,’ race and perceptions of race affect everything from communications and trends to opportunities and life experiences. This work is special to me as it re-centers a prominent black figure and forces conversations on race to address the integral issues we face today: inequity, equality and empathy.”

Brown’s design towers above the back edge of Toby’s Plaza at the corners of Mayfield Road and Euclid Avenue and features the most forceful statement from Douglass’ remarks coupled with a photo as he looked at that time. Many historians consider Douglass the most photographed American of the 19th century: Douglass sat for at least 160 portraits over the course of his life, part of his work to reshape society’s misperceptions of black people.

“This banner provides an excellent opportunity to remind us of the importance of Frederick Douglass and his connection to the early history of the university,” said Kathy Barrie, director of the Putnam Collection at Case Western Reserve. “Invited by the students to speak at the 1854 commencement, he used the occasion to present his argument in defense of the African American people and promoted the abolition of slavery.”

Douglass’s address, “The claims of the Negro, ethnologically considered: an address before the literary societies of Western Reserve College, at commencement” was one of several speeches Douglass delivered in Northeast Ohio over his lifetime.

The Douglass banner is the fourth in a series of installments on Toby’s Plaza as part of the Uptown Banner Project. It is expected to remain in the plaza through 2023.

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