WASHINGTON (AP) - Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen has introduced a bill to create a commission to honor abolitionist Frederick Douglass next year for the 200th anniversary of his birth.
Van Hollen announced the measure on Wednesday. He says it’s a companion bill to legislation introduced by Maryland Rep. Andy Harris and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, who represents the District of Columbia in Congress.
Van Hollen says the commission will explore how to celebrate Douglass’ legacy.
Douglass was enslaved at birth in Talbot County on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. In 1838, he fled Maryland and moved to New York and escaped to Great Britain to avoid being returned to slavery. After obtaining his freedom, he settled in Baltimore and campaigned against slavery.
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