Death
On February 20, 1895, at the age of 77, Frederick Douglass's remarkable life came to an end at his home in Rochester, New York. On that day, Douglass attended a meeting of the National Council of Women in Washington, D.C. He received a standing ovation upon being brought to the platform, which demonstrated his continued respect and recognition within the community. Shortly after arriving home in Rochester, Douglass suffered a fatal heart attack. His funeral was held at the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C.—a church he had supported and where he delivered his final major speech. Prominent figures served as pallbearers, including U.S. Senators and Supreme Court judges. Tributes poured in from various individuals and organizations, including a letter from Elizabeth Cady Stanton and condolences from the Haitian Legation. He was laid to rest next to his wife, Anna, in the Douglass family plot of Mount Hope Cemetery, a renowned memorial park. A marker erected by the University of Rochester and others acknowledges his multifaceted roles as an "escaped slave, abolitionist, suffragist, journalist and statesman, founder of the Civil Rights Movement in America."
