Plaque reads:
"Historic Site in Journalism
On his site, Frederick Douglass (1817-1895)
Published an antislavery newspaper, The North
Star, and succeeding journals, from 1847 until
1863. He escaped from slavery in his
Youth, and became one of the most eloquent
Speakers and aggressive journalists in the
Abolitionist movement. He won recognition as
The leading spokesman for the black cause after
The Civil War and received several federal
appointments in that capacity.
"Marked this 23rd day of April, 1976, by
The Society of Professional Jpurnalists
"Sigma,Delta Chi"
The plaque may be very loosely defining Douglass' path to freedom as "escaped", as this wasn't literally how he come to be a free black man. Having an owner who is open to allowing him to purchase his freedom was necessary to his "escape" from bondage. There is a somewhat longer description of Frederick Douglass on the Signs of History waymark WM9AG6| Child's Basin: Center of Activism (
visit link) . You can actually see the sign relented in the window of the building on which this plaque is mounted (attached to the bus stop shelter).
From that sign of history comes some information about the former Reynolds Arcade , which stood across the street:
"Built in 1828, this indoor mall was the center of
Business and communication, housing the Post
Office, Western Union Telegraph, Dewey Book
Store, Reynolds Athenaeum Library, barber shops
and small shops, some of them black-owned. The Lady's
Anti-Slavery Sewing Society held bazaars here to
raise money. William Falls, an editor of
The Democrat, recalled that he could quickly collect
donations at he Arcade for canal, lake or stage
tickets for fugitive slaves over his lunch time."