Douglass Day 2026

Helping transcribe and preserve 200 years of documents to share with the world

By Rowan University

March 4^th, 2026

Crowd-sourcing history

It’s all hidden in plain sight—the history of ordinary people and the nation they shaped—documented in vintage newspapers, personal diaries and correspondence, public records and more.

To help make the thousands of pages accessible to researchers, historians and students, more than 40 Rowan and community volunteers gathered on February 13th to participate in Rowan's Fourth Annual Douglass Day Transcribe-a-thon.

The event, hosted by the Center for Digital Humanities Research within Ric Edelman College of Communication, Humanities & Social Sciences, marks the birthday of Frederick Douglass—the influential social reformer, abolitionist, writer and statesman.

Attendees rolled up their sleeves (figuratively, but in some cases literally) and worked to transcribe historical documents related to Douglass and the Colored Conventions. Rowan's efforts are one part of a movement that included nearly 8,000 people in more than 180 locations this year.

A page from The Liberator newspaper, circa 1855, was one of more than 6,000 documents transcribed by volunteers across the country during this year's event.

Fragment of a newspaper article quoting Frederick Douglass on a colored college. Douglass expresses disappointment that abolitionists withheld funds.

Before volunteers got started, professors April Patrick, Chris Saladin and Jennifer Janofsky provided an overview of the purpose of the event and instructions for accessing the online transcription platform (Zooniverse).

A woman presents Douglass Day transcription project to a class of students with laptops. Two people stand at the side of the room, watching the presentation. Slides read

The convention of colored bankers held at Buffalo will be the first of its kind in America. John Clinton, Jr., who is organizing it, is the president of the First Colored Bank, North of Philadelphia. Mr. Clinton in 1890 published the first negro daily paper. Later he became a lawyer, and invested his large savings in the insurance business.

—Excerpt transcribed from the Colored Conventions Project

Robert Green showed up as a community volunteer (below, left). A retired software manager and current Harrison Township Historical Society volunteer, he's been working with the historical society researching South Jersey history for more than 10 years and he came to Douglass Day to see how the event's transcriptions tie into the work of the historical society.

Giving him a crash course in the Zooniverse platform is graduate student Cam Wilburn (below, right).

Two people transcribe text on a laptop during Douglass Day 2026 event. The laptop screen displays the

Moriah Watkins, a sophomore psychology major, volunteered to help transcribe because she was interested in learning more about Frederick Douglass and the period in which he lived.

“That’s one of the reasons why I love psychology and why I love history—because it plays such a pivotal role in how we see ourselves and other people. That historical piece is very important to me,” she said.

Young woman types on laptop at a desk, participating in Douglass Day 2026. Headphones and phone sit on the desk. Other participants work at laptops in the background.

At Douglass Day events across the country, volunteers this year are transcribing vast collections of records on the Colored Conventions, which cover dozens of states and stretch from the 1830s through the turn of the 20th century. These documents show the way the Colored Conventions helped to imagine, pass and protect the 14th amendment.

A woman stands addressing a Douglass Day event. Attendees sit at tables with laptops, some clapping. The room is bright, with natural light.

At Douglass Day 2026, an older Black man in patterned shirt sits at a table. A child stands at the table, holding a round object. A black baseball cap with gold embroidery sits on the table. Other people are seated at the long table.

A young woman types on a laptop in a classroom, focused expression. Students sit at tables behind her. A water bottle and stickers are on the table.

Hill, of New Hanover, introduced a resolution in regard to what he termed the ignoring of the negro by the Democrats.

—Excerpt transcribed from the Colored Conventions Project

A student types on a laptop, Douglass Day 2026 event. The laptop screen shows digitized text. Other students work at tables in the background.

Patricia Seonia of Mullica Hill, another volunteer from the Harrison Township Historical Society, showed up to help transcribe. A former social studies teacher, she's been looking for meaningful volunteer opportunities since retiring and is planning to continue transcribing at home in her free time.

Woman types on laptop at Douglass Day 2026 event. Other participants work at tables. Laptop screen displays transcription project.

Shamele Jordon, a genealogist from the 339 Manumissions and Beyond project, spoke at the event, calling out her Rowan student interns in attendance. She described the ongoing work to expand knowledge about enslaved individuals once held by Quakers in the Philadelphia area and New Jersey towns like Evesham and Collingswood.

A woman gestures to a group of students during a Douglass Day event. She wears a black hat with green trim and a black and white sweater. Students sit at tables with laptops.

Another speaker at the event was graduate student Steve Henderson. Currently working on his master's in history, Steve was part of the first cohort to complete the certificate of graduate study in digital humanities at Rowan when it was first offered.

A man lectures students about Frederick Douglass. He stands at a podium with a screen behind him listing Douglass's achievements. The man wears a pink shirt and has tattoos on his arms.

H. Price Williams, of Philadelphia, here created intense excitement by assailing the ability of Mr. Wheeler, who was nominated for permanent President, and offering as a substitute the name of Hon. Fred Douglass. The motion was voted down and the report adopted. Major Wheeler was escorted to the chair and introduced. He delivered a very able address.

—Excerpt transcribed from the Colored Conventions Project

Group of nine people pose in front of a screen for Douglass Day 2026. The screen shows an image of Frederick Douglass and Anna Murray Douglass. Attendees wear name tags.

Display case featuring a Douglass Day 2025 poster surrounded by historical photos and handwritten notes. The poster reads, — Each year, participants are asked to jot notes about their experience at the event to contribute to an "archive" of observations. This framed poster from last year's event is surrounded by the thoughts and revelations of past volunteers.

Person transcribes historical text on laptop. Back view of individual with short brown hair, glasses, hoop earrings, typing on laptop labeled

Though Douglass Day has finished its 10th annual transcribe-a-thon, this was actually the fourth year for the event at Rowan. Jessica Mack, director of the Center for Digital Humanities Research, organized the first one for the University in February 2023. Since then, nearly 300 Rowan students have collectively transcribed and preserved thousands of pages of documents.