White House connection bolsters Morris’ local appearance today

By C.S. Gilbert

There is an historic, presidential connection between The Little White House’s sponsorship of this week’s visit of Frederick Douglass’ great great great grandson to Key West. Douglass was a close advisor to President Abraham Lincoln and a valued supporter of President U.S. Grant. He was also appointed U.S. Consul General to the Republic of Haiti by President William Henry Harrison.

 

Kenneth Morris, Jr., modern-day abolitionist and direct descendent of both Douglass and Booker T. Washington, will speak at the Douglass Gym at 5 p.m. today, Jan. 12, guest of the Keys Coalition Against Human Trafficking.

 

Morris, a Californian, will spotlight January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month in his address “History, Human Rights and the Power of One.” He heads the Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives (FDFI), an abolitionist organization co-founded by direct descendants of the two most prominent black Americans in history before Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “FDFI combines lessons from the legacies of Douglass and Washington: Abolition Through Education. We’ve brought human trafficking education into schools like no other organization,” according to the foundation website.

 

In addition to The Little White House, local businesses, professionals, congregations and concerned individuals are co-sponsoring Morris’ appearance in Key West. Other early supporters were Cynthia Edwards and Rick Boettger, Financial Resources Management Corporation (Roxanne Fleszar), Hanns Ebensten Travel, the Law Offices of Shadrach G. Neiss, The Porter-Allen Company, Congregation B’nai Zion (Rabbi Shimon Dudai and President Fred Covan), One Island Family, the Southernmost Unitarian Universalist Congregation (the Rev. Randy Becker) and Veronica Stafford, Coconut Woman.

 

The event is free and open to the public. Donations, of course, will be gratefully accepted. For additional information please phone Keys Coalition founder and program director Tim Gratz at (305) 600-8000.

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