Frederick Douglass
When Hillsdale College commissioned Bruce Wolfe to create the 8th statue on their Liberty Walk, he jumped at the opportunity to portray such an important American hero in bronze. After 18 months of research and work, the final Frederick Douglass statue captures the passion, resolute nature and intellect of a man who played a vital role in the abolitionist movement during the mid 1860’s.
The Unveiling
On a beautiful Spring day in Michigan, over three hundred people attended the Frederick Douglass statue unveiling on Hillsdale College’s Liberty Walk. The 7′-8″ bronze statue honors Mr. Douglass’ visit to the college in 1863, where he delivered a post Emancipation Proclimation address titled “Popular Error and Unpopular Truth.” (May 12, 2017)
Making an American Hero
The process of building a bronze statue involves the sculpting of maquettes, busts, body and base with multiple teardowns of each stage in order to find perfection. Enjoy our photo collection of the various stages involved with bringing the Hillsdale College Frederick Douglass statue into his final form.
