Frederick Douglass, ca. 1879
This is a photographic portrait of abolitionist, publisher, writer, and African American civil rights leader Frederick Douglass, taken approximately 1879, when Douglass was in his early 60s. It is a typical example of a cabinet card, which was a common format for photographic portraits in the late 19th century.
Portrait of Frederick Douglass. National Archives Identifier: 558770/Local Identifier: FL-FL-22. View in National Archives Catalog
View and download the portrait of Frederick Douglass in the National Archives Catalog. This image is from the Frank W. Legg Photographic Collection of Portraits of Nineteenth-Century Notables, Series: Portraits. This donated collection consists of portraits of notable literary, political, religious, and military personalities, as well as musicians, theatrical artists, and educators. All photographs from the series are available to view and download in the National Archives Catalog.
You can explore other historic photographic processes and formats held by the Still Picture Branch through the National Archives Catalog, through the Special Media Records Division blog: The Unwritten Record, on History Hub, or in person at our research room in College Park, MD.