MS. Nettie WASHINGTON Douglass
makes a Historic visit to
ferguson~easley elementary
Booker T. Washington once said, “Through education, we must lift the veil of ignorance.” Those historic words gave us insight into the answer for African-American success in America. Today, Ms. Nettie
Washington Douglass brings those words to life through her continuous efforts to enlighten people everywhere.
Born in the historic town of Tuskegee Institute, Alabama, Ms. Douglass has the unique distinction of being “heir of two great Americans.” She is the first person to unite the two bloodlines of Booker T.
Washington and Frederick Douglass. Through the union of her mother, Nettie Hancock Washington (granddaughter of Booker T. Washington) and her father, Dr. Frederick Douglass III (great grandson of
Frederick Douglass), she is the great granddaughter of Booker T. Washington and the great ,great granddaughter of Frederick Douglass.
Both of her great ancestors were history makers who paved the way for many African-Americans. Frederick Douglass (1817-1895) freed himself from the chains of slavery to become a great orator, author,
journalist, statesman and diplomat. Called the “father of the civil rights movement,” Frederick Douglass is credited with successfully urging Abraham Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.
Booker T. Washington (1856-1915) had a vision of equal education for the African-Americans when he established Tuskegee Institute in 1881, a Land Grant School, that has become one of America’s most
prestigious, historically Black Colleges, now known as Tuskegee University. He also founded the National Business League and was advisor to President Theodore Roosevelt.
Ms. Douglass is a renowned speaker. As a small child, she began representing one or both of her famous ancestors at special events. Later, she chose to keep a low profile, while directing her attention and energy
to what she describes as her “career of choice” – that of raising her family, her three children now adults. With the urging of many, Ms. Douglass has again begun to share her ancestry.
Presenting the first 1950 San Francisco minted Booker T. Washington Commemorative Half Dollar to Joe DiMaggio; speaking at the New York State Sesquicentennial (150th) Anniversary Celebration in 1977
(where she received a citation naming her Ambassador of Goodwill); being commissioned a Kentucky Colonel; having a day named in her honor in Easton, MD; making her “acting” debut in Rochester, NY, and
speaking at City Hall in Hamilton, Bermuda are just a few of Ms. Douglass’ numerous and varied appearances. While she gets tremendous pleasure and enjoyment from her “living history” presentations to
students throughout the country, still vivid in her memory is what she describes as her most heartwarming experience to date. Ms. Douglass accepted the challenge to assist in the fund-raising efforts of the awardwinning Frederick Douglass High School Marching Band of Atlanta, Georgia. Ms. Douglass’ commitment to these students proved to be successful, thus allowing them to accept the invitation of Bermuda
officials to perform in the Bermuda Day Parade. The Frederick Douglass High School Marching Band has the distinction of being the first “off island” band to be invited to perform in Bermuda’s second largest
holiday celebration. “Witnessing an entire country embrace ninety-six students from an inner-city school is an experience I will treasure always.”
Ms. Douglass served as the national spokesperson for the “African-American Heritage Check Series.” She was instrumental in successfully introducing the check series to the Riggs National Bank of Washington
(DC), the U.S. Department of Agriculture Credit Union and the Bank South Corporation of Georgia, now known as Bank of America. In recognition of this celebrated endeavor. She was given a “key to the city”
of Memphis, Tennessee by its mayor and a citation from the mayor of Washington, DC.
Ms. Douglass considers her greatest honor to be the publishing of one of her speeches with the most noted speeches of Frederick Douglass and Booker T. Washington: “What to the Slave is the 4th of July?” and
the “Atlanta Cotton Exposition” speech, respectively. The speeches were featured in “Vital Issues – The Journal of African American Speeches.”
Ms. Douglass is a past volunteer for the United Negro College Fund (founded by Dr. Frederick D. Patterson, the third President of Tuskegee Institute) and the Georgia State Games. She served on the Board of
Directors for the Friends of Frederick Douglass Museum in Washington, DC.
Ms. Douglass works in the City of Atlanta’s Department of Watershed Management, Office of Communications and Public Outreach. Additionally, she is currently working on a book.
http://www.fdfi.org/founder-chairwoman.html
Ferguson~Easley Elementary School was elated that Ms. Nettie Washington Douglass was able to visit on
Friday, February 28, 2014. Ms. Douglass arrived on Ferguson~Easley’s campus around 10 am in order to visit
classrooms and teach students about the origins of Black History Month and the contributions of her great,
great grandfather, Frederick Douglass and her great grandfather, Booker T. Washington. The students of
Ferguson~Easley Elementary truly enjoyed their interaction with Ms. Douglass. She signed autographs and
answered questions. The students looked at Ms. Douglass with amazement as she told the story of the 7-foot–
tall bronze statue of her great~great grandfather that stands in the U.S Capitol. "I say goodnight every night,
and I say good morning," she said. "I hope he's saying, 'I'm really proud of you.'" Dr. Mary Hales, principal of
Ferguson~Easley Elementary treated Ms. Douglass to lunch at The Hilltop House along with the
Superintendent of Cumberland County Schools Frank Till Jr., School Board Member Carrie Sutton, and NC
House of Representative Richard Glazier.
A floating reception was held for the honorable Ms. Douglass from 4:30 pm until 5:30 pm in the school’s media
center to allow faculty and staff an opportunity to meet and greet her with face-to-face interaction. During this
time, she was able to discuss with the staff of Ferguson~Easley Elementary important events in her life and
make history come alive with the historical time-line of events of her ancestors who were two phenomenal
African American men who paved the way for so many others. This event was catered by Simply for You and
Grace Catering.
Later that evening, Ms. Nettie Washington Douglass joined Ferguson~Easley
Elementary for their Brotherhood/Black History Program. More than 200
parents, students, and community leaders filled the rows of chairs in
Ferguson~Easley Elementary School's auditorium Friday night to hear her
speak. Leaders included the platform guests, the honorable Nat Robertson,
Mayor for the City of Fayetteville; Mr. Richard Glazier, NC House of
Representatives; Mrs. Alicia Chisolm, Cumberland County Schools Board
member; Dr. Wilson Lacy Chairman of the Fayetteville Business and
Professional League; and Dr. Frank Till Jr., Superintendent of Cumberland
County Schools. For most of her nearly hour-long presentation according to
news reports, Ms. Douglass was an outline against a screen that sparkled
through dozens of photos of the Douglass and Washington families. She
began by discussing the Douglass' side of the family, along with Frederick
Douglass' accomplishments and some of his major honors. Ms. Douglass
showed photos of herself tracing the footsteps of places her ancestors had
strolled, including Frederick Douglass' former slave master's home. "I hope I
piqued their interest to want to do more reading about Black History in
general," Douglass said about the students at Ferguson~Easley, "but
specifically about Frederick Douglass and Booker T. Washington."
Ferguson~Easley would like to give a big Thank You to Miss
Eloise E. Melvin and Dr. Mary Hales for making this memorable
event possible. Miss Melvin is the parent facilitator of FergusonEasley and also a sorority sister of Ms. Douglass. Miss Melvin
initiated the plan to bring Douglass to the school and Dr. Mary
Hales gave her blessings.
“At first, I was reluctant because of the enormous fee that I
assumed she would charge, according to Dr. Hales. However,
the more we discussed the idea, the more excited I became.”
“Miss Melvin and I began to set the wheels in motion. You know
what? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for some of our
boys and girls. It's an unique opportunity for the history that
students have been learning in the textbooks to come alive.
Students will be able to learn firsthand historical facts of the
lives of two phenomenal contributors to the American society
from a descendant of both of them.“
This is certainly an event that Ferguson~Easley Elementary
School and the community of Fayetteville will never forget!!
The 555th Parachute Infantry
Association (Triple Nickels)
Mr. Bill Bowman
Up & Coming Magazine
The Fayetteville/Cumberland
County Ministerial Council
Mr. Billy R. King
Cumberland County
Commissioner
Lifetouch National
School Studios
Ms. Eboni Washington
Mr. Edward Melvin, Sr.
Cumberland County
Commissioner
Mt. Zion A.M.E.Z. Church
Kindah Temple #62
Miss Kimberly Smith
Asst. Principal, FEES
Dr. Jeanette Council
Cumberland County
Commissioner
Vettes Unlimited, NC
Atty. Glenn Adams &
The Honorable Gale Adams
Mr. & Mrs. Ronnie Alexander
Ms. Carrie Sutton, Member
Cumberland County Schools
Board of Education
Mr. Floyd Shorter
Fayetteville Observer
Newspaper
Dr. Mary A. Hales
In-kind Contributors
E.E. Smith Senior High
Drum Line
Mr. J.J. Jones
The Fayetteville Press
The Fayetteville Business &
Professional League
Mr. Gilbert Baez
WRAL TV-5
Mr. Calvin Pee
107.7 Jamz
E.E. Smith Senior High
Honor Guard
Harris-Teeter, Inc.
Dale’s Florist
Strings of Harmony Trio
Musical Director
Mr. Reginald Ennett
Transportation
Mrs. Monique McDuffie — Violinist
Mr. Jonathan Thomas
Herring Limousine Service
Welcoming Fellowship
Dinner Hosts
Reception Caterers
Welcoming Luncheon
Host
Rev. James Davis, Pastor &
Mt. Zion A.M.E.Z. Church
Simply for You
Mrs. Lessie Johnson, Owner
Mr. Richard Glazer, Esquire
Member, NC House of
Representatives
Mr. Devin Neely — Violinist
Miss Leigh Montague — Cellist
Grace Catering
Ms. Darlene Brown, Co-owner
Program Greeters
Reception Hostesses
Mrs. Daphenia Washington
Ms. Carolyn Robinson
Mrs. Tara Weymouth
Ms. Natasha McKoy
Miss Eloise E. Melvin
Photographers
Ms. Carrianne McClellan
Mr. Chardonnay Labbon
Ms. Angela Williams
Mr. Howard Lattimore
Mrs. Karen Shagawat
Graphic Editor
Mr. Tony Billingslea
Ms. Valeria Hasan
Mr. Larry Brian McNeill
Mrs. DeAnglea Cane
Mrs. Barbara Davis
The Pink Ladies of Distinction