When Frederick Douglass arrived in southern Michigan on January 21, 1863, the Civil War had entered its most decisive phase—and one small abolitionist college in the state was willing to give him a platform when most American campuses would not.
Founded by abolitionists and committed to equality from its earliest days, Hillsdale College stood apart from most institutions of higher learning in the mid-19th century, many of which avoided anti-slavery speakers. At a moment when abolition remained deeply controversial even in the North, Hillsdale’s decision to host Douglass staked Michigan’s claim in the national fight to end slavery.
Douglass delivered a lecture titled “Popular Error and Unpopular Truth” in the college chapel before the Ladies Literary Union. Although no complete transcript survives, reports show his speech addressed the danger of mistaking majority opinion for moral truth, the permanence of natural rights, and the moral necessity of abolishing slavery without compromise.
He emphasized how error could be new or old, but truth is never new.
Choosing to speak at this particular school in Michigan was deliberate. Hillsdale was the first American college to prohibit in its charter any discrimination based on race, religion, or sex, and became an early force for the abolition of slavery, according to the college’s website.
In the years leading up to and during the Civil War, the college welcomed at least 10 abolitionist speakers. Hillsdale contributed a higher share of students to the Union war effort than any other western college, sending more than 400 into service—four Medal of Honor recipients, three future generals, and 60 who never returned.
Although Douglass spoke at many Michigan town halls, opera houses, and civic spaces, Hillsdale is the only Michigan institution of higher learning documented to have hosted him as a lecturer.
Douglass spoke frequently in Michigan, drawn by the state’s strong abolitionist networks and friendliness toward anti-slavery advocacy.
Long before the Civil War, the state played a crucial role in the Underground Railroad, serving as one of the final and most consequential stops for slaves fleeing north. Its long border with Canada (where slavery had been abolished decades earlier) made Michigan not just a waypoint, but a gateway to freedom.
When Douglass arrived in the state during the Civil War, he was entering a moral landscape already shaped by risk-taking, civil disobedience, and a belief that justice outweighed legality.
Although Douglass was the most photographed person in the 19th century, many reports say his favorite photo was the one captured during his Hillsdale visit, which the college located and purchased for $5,000 in 2004.
The iconic photo of Douglass features a rare, full-body shot of him. He seldom used props, but in the photo he has a book placed on the table beside him. Historian Zoe Trodd said it must have been a statement, as 19th-century white southerners would be shocked to see Douglass so self-possessed and gentlemanly, and he knew that.
Hillsdale honored Douglass with a statue on campus in 2017. At the statue unveiling, Hillsdale College President Larry P. Arnn said Douglass is facing the Union soldier statue with resolve.
“Douglass came here to remind us what a college is. It’s not just a proclamation of the evil of slavery. It’s a proclamation on the nature of man—of all of us, of what we can do, of what we’re made for,” Arnn said.
Many Americans respect Douglass’ legacy. But in Michigan, Hillsdale is the only university with a monument in his honor, marking the state’s claim in the nation’s journey toward abolition.
Lauren Washburn formerly served as a research analyst for Dr. Phil Primetime and currently works as Christopher Rufo’s executive assistant.
