Let’s Do History! Greenwich Historical Society Douglass Day Transcribe-a-thon

In partnership with the League of Women Voters of Greenwich and the YWCA of Greenwich, the Historical Society invites area residents to join a national transcribe-a-thon to learn about Black history through the lens of Frederick Douglass, the father of the Civil War’s abolitionist movement. It will be held February 14, noon – 3pm at Greenwich Historical Society.

Organized by The Center for Black Digital Research, the event has been held annually since 2017 with a goal of preserving Black intellectual history. Thousands of people throughout the country will gather at local venues to transcribe documents and memorabilia, including diaries and speeches related to Frederick Douglass and other Black historical figures, which are housed at the Library of Congress.

Participants will transcribe the archival materials in the Permanent Collections Gallery where they will be linked with national attendees via a live stream. The program will feature talks on African American history and a Great Douglass Day Bake Off Competition to celebrate Douglass’s birthday and legacy. The entire event will be broadcast live from the Douglass Day website. The transcriptions will be made available from the website as part of a collection of Black history and culture. 

Interested participants should bring their computers and tablets to access the archival material. Staff will be available to assist in the interactive event.  To register: https://greenwichhistory.org/event/douglass-day-celebration-2025/