It’s been almost 180 years since his historic visit (image via The Walls Project)
A beautiful new mural was unveiled in the city centre last week.
Located at the Unitarian Church on Princes Street, the colourful painting depicts Frederick Douglass, an anti-slavery activist who visited Cork back in 1845.
The mural was done by Zabou, a London-based French artist who specialises in large-scale
realistic murals. As well as the remarkable image of Douglass, the mural features beautiful
colours and shapes, which really help to add life to the city centre.
Kenneth B Morris – Douglass’s great-great-great-grandson – was present at the unveiling of
the mural, along with Lord Mayor Cllr. Kieran McCarthy. Morris said, “People are still
interested in Frederick Douglass, interested in what he has to say to us, in the times in
which we live. There’s a lot of conflict in the world, certainly where I live in the US with the
political climate and the divisiveness. But Douglass has always transcended any kind of
conflict. His spirit, I believe, can be a healing balm on the wounds that we all feel and
suffer.”
If you want to learn more about Frederick Douglass, you should definitely check out ‘The
Cork Abolitionists Trail’, a route around the city created by Douglass Week and Cork City
Council that highlights important locations where Douglass went during his stay in Cork
nearly 180 years ago.