Frederick Douglass wasn’t just an abolitionist leader, author, and statesman—he was also a music lover. An avid violinist, one instrument he owned was a copy of a Stradivarius violin. Douglass played the violin for his grandchildren and guests when they visited his home, Cedar Hill. His love of music was passed on to his son, Frederick Douglass, Jr., and grandson, Joseph Henry Douglass, who studied violin at the Boston Conservatory and became an internationally renowned violinist. 🎻 Frederick Douglass’s legacy is preserved at Cedar Hill, part of Frederick Douglass National Historic Site in Washington D.C., where he lived his last 17 years. Image1: Taken in a Rochester, New York studio in 1878, this formal portrait reveals a little of Frederick Douglass’s flair. His Cossack hat is still in the park collections. frederickdouglassnps Image 2: An 1891 copy of an Antonius Stradivarius instrument made in Germany being photographed at Frederick Douglass National Historic Site. Image 3: ...