Helen Pitts Douglass (1838–1903) was an American

suffragist Suffrage, political franchise, or simply franchise, is the right to vote in public, political elections and referendums (although the term is sometimes used for any right to vote). In some languages, and occasionally in English, the right to v ...

, known for being the second wife of

Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass (born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, February 1817 or 1818 – February 20, 1895) was an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became ...

. She also created the Frederick Douglass Memorial and Historical Association, which became the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site.

Early life and education

She was born in Honeoye, New York, in 1838. Her parents were activists in the abolitionist and suffragist movements. She was also a descendant of John Alden and Priscilla Alden, who sailed to America on the ''

Mayflower ''Mayflower'' was an English ship that transported a group of English families, known today as the Pilgrims, from England to the New World in 1620. After a grueling 10 weeks at sea, ''Mayflower'', with 102 passengers and a crew of about 30, ...

'', and a cousin of

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...

and

John Quincy Adams John Quincy Adams (; July 11, 1767 – February 23, 1848) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, and diarist who served as the sixth president of the United States, from 1825 to 1829. He previously served as the eighth United States ...

. Pitts graduated from

Mount Holyoke College Mount Holyoke College is a private liberal arts women's college in South Hadley, Massachusetts. It is the oldest member of the historic Seven Sisters colleges, a group of elite historically women's colleges in the Northeastern United States. ...

(then called the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary) in 1859. After her graduation, she returned to her parents' home in Honeoye. After the U.S. Civil War, she taught at the

Hampton Institute Hampton University is a private, historically black, research university in Hampton, Virginia. Founded in 1868 as Hampton Agricultural and Industrial School, it was established by Black and White leaders of the American Missionary Association aft ...

, a school that educated black men and women. While teaching at the institution, she caused local controversy by accusing several local residents of directing insults and abuse towards her students, resulting in their arrest. In 1882, Helen moved to Uniontown in Washington, D.C. to live with her uncle, where she lived next door to Frederick Douglass's home,

Cedar Hill Cedar may refer to: Trees and plants *''Cedrus'', common English name cedar, an Old-World genus of coniferous trees in the plant family Pinaceae *Cedar (plant), a list of trees and plants known as cedar Places United States * Cedar, Arizona * ...

Activism

She was active in the

women's rights movement Women's rights are the rights and entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st centuries. In some countri ...

and co-edited ''The Alpha'', with Caroline Winslow, in Washington. In 1882, Douglass hired Helen as a clerk in the office of the Recorder of Deeds in Washington, to which he had just been assigned. Because he was writing his autobiography, '' Life and Times of Frederick Douglass'' and was often lecturing, Helen aided him frequently in his work.

Marriage to Frederick Douglass

Douglass's first wife, Anna Murray Douglass, died on August 4, 1882. After almost a year and a half of depression, Douglass married Helen on January 24, 1884. They were married by the Rev. Francis J. Grimké, a prominent

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

preacher. Despite the fact that Helen's parents, Gideon and Jane Pitts, were

abolitionists Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the movement to end slavery. In Western Europe and the Americas, abolitionism was a historic movement that sought to end the Atlantic slave trade and liberate the enslaved people. The Britis ...

, they were against the marriage because Douglass was the son of a white father and a black mother.Grimke, Rev. Francis J., "The Second Marriage of Frederick Douglass" Huntington (Ind.) Herald Press, Nov. 10 and 17, Dec. 1. 8 and 15, 1974 Unfilled manuscript in Williston Memorial Library, Mount Holyoke College The marriage was generally the subject of scorn by both white and black residents in the town, though the Douglasses were firm in their convictions. "Love came to me, and I was not afraid to marry the man I loved because of his color," she said. Douglass laughingly commented, "This proves I am impartial. My first wife was the color of my mother and the second, the color of my father."Grimke, Rev. Francis J., "The Second Marriage of Frederick Douglass" Huntington (Ind.) Herald Press, Nov. 10 and 17, Dec. 1. 8 and 15, 1974 Unfilled manuscript in Williston Memorial Library, Mount Holyoke College A main source of support was

Elizabeth Cady Stanton Elizabeth Cady Stanton (November 12, 1815 – October 26, 1902) was an American writer and activist who was a leader of the women's rights movement in the U.S. during the mid- to late-19th century. She was the main force behind the 1848 Seneca ...

, who said: "In defense of the right to ... marry whom we please – we might quote some of the basic principles of our government ndsuggest that in some things individual rights to tastes should control.". Helen and Frederick were married for eleven years, until his sudden death from a heart attack in 1895. They did not have any children together. Frederick had five children with his first wife Anna: Lewis, Frederick Jr., Charles, Rosetta, and Annie.

Building a memorial to Frederick Douglass

Douglass's will left Cedar Hill to Helen, but it lacked the number of witnesses needed in bequests of real estate and was ruled invalid. Helen suggested to his children and their spouses that they agree to set Cedar Hill apart as a memorial to their father and deed it to a board of trustees. The children declined, insisting that the estate be sold and the money divided among all the heirs. With borrowed money, Helen bought the property, and then devoted the rest of her life to planning and establishing the Frederick Douglass Memorial and Historical Association. Besides effecting passage of the law incorporating the association, she worked to raise funds to maintain the estate. For eight years, she lectured throughout the northeast. During the last year of her life, Helen was ill and unable to lecture, as well as discouraged by the falling off of contributions for her cause. She begged the Rev. Francis Grimke not to let her work fall by the wayside in her absence. He suggested that if the mortgage on Cedar Hill should not be paid off in her lifetime, money from the sale of the property should go to two college scholarships in her and Frederick's names. She agreed, on the condition that the scholarships be in Douglass's name only.

Death

Helen Pitts Douglass died in 1903, aged 65 years old. She wished to be buried on the site of Cedar Hill but laws at this time prevented it. She had no funeral or memorial service and was quietly buried next to Frederick Douglass in Rochester. After her death, the $5,500 mortgage was reduced to $4,000, and the National Association of Colored Women, led by Mary B. Talbert of Buffalo, New York, raised funds to buy Cedar Hill. Now administered by the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational properti ...

, the home is open for tours to inform visitors of Douglass's contributions to freedom. McFeely, William S. ''Frederick Douglass''. New York: Norton, 1991.

References

External links

Helen Pitts Douglas biography
- from the ''Anna Murray Douglass History of Rochester NY at Mt. Hope Cemetery''

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Pitts, Helen 1838 births 1903 deaths Activists from New York (state) People from Honeoye, New York American feminists American suffragists American women's rights activists Mount Holyoke College alumni Feminism and history Helen Pitts Douglass Adams political family American people of English descent