Children and families are invited to a special living history performance to hear Nathan Richardson as Frederick Douglass speak on how he taught himself how to read and write. Mr. Douglass will dialogue with the youth and place special emphasis on the importance of education, civic responsibility and understanding the United States Constitution.

This event includes admission to the Cleveland History Center.

About the Speakers

Nathan M. Richardson is a published author, performance poet and Frederick Douglass Historian.  His poetry collections include “Likeness of Being”, “Twenty-one Imaginary T-shirts” and “The 7 Last Poems of an Unarmed Citizen.”  His work has been widely re-published in anthologies, magazines and newspapers such as the Channel Marker, The Cupola, Coastal Virginia Magazine and the Washington Post. Nathan is now in the 8th year of The Frederick Douglass Speaking Tour – a living history performance in which he captures completely the physical and spiritual essence of the former slave, writer, orator and abolitionist Frederick Douglass. This living history series has produced film credits with the National Park Service, Alabama Public Television and RTE – Irish Public Service Television. You can find more about Nathan Richardson and his work at www.scpublishing.com.

Cuyahoga Community College assistant professor of history, Rania Assily, has taught college-level history since 2006 including American history, World Civilizations, African American history, the history of the Middle East, and the history of India. She has interviewed John Cooper as Abe Lincoln in the Fall 2020 during the pandemic and has brought numerous speakers to Tri-C’s Westlake campus.