Robert Douglass Jr. facts for kids

Robert Douglass Jr. (born 1809, died 1887) was an important African-American artist and a strong leader from Philadelphia. He used his talents to fight for what was right and help his community.

Life and Work of Robert Douglass Jr.

Robert Douglass Jr. was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1809. His parents were Robert Douglass Sr. and Grace Bustill Douglass. Both of his parents were leaders who worked to end slavery. His father came from the Caribbean island of Saint Kitts. His mother's father was Cyrus Bustill.

Robert had a sister named Sarah Mapps Douglass, who was also an artist and worked against slavery. He had four other brothers and sisters too.

Becoming an Artist and Teacher

Robert Douglass Jr. studied art at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. This school rarely accepted Black students at the time. He also trained at the Royal Academy of Arts when he visited London. A famous artist named Thomas Sully was one of his teachers.

Later, Robert Douglass Jr. became a mentor himself. He taught his cousin, David Bustill Bowser, who also became an artist. Douglass also taught at the Institute for Colored Youth. This school helped educate young Black people. In 1890, an article called him a "portrait painter of some merit." This means he was a good artist who painted pictures of people.

His Art and Business

Robert Douglass Jr. painted portraits of people and also landscapes, which are pictures of nature. He is known as Philadelphia's first African-American photographer. Some of his famous portraits include those of William Lloyd Garrison and James Forten from 1834. These men were important leaders who worked to end slavery.

Besides his art, Douglass also had a business. He painted signs and decorated the inside of buildings. Sadly, not many of his artworks still exist today.

His Fight for Freedom

Robert Douglass Jr. was a key leader in the National Colored Conventions. These were meetings where Black leaders from across the country discussed how to gain equal rights. He served as a secretary at the 1855 Convention.

Douglass also moved to other countries for a time. In 1824, he moved to Haiti. He got help from the Haitian Emigration Society of Philadelphia, an organization started by Richard Allen and James Forten. Later, in the late 1840s, he moved to Jamaica. However, he eventually returned to Philadelphia.

Robert Douglass Jr. passed away in Philadelphia on October 26, 1887. He is buried at Eden Cemetery in Collingdale. Many important African Americans from the Philadelphia area are buried there.

See also

• African-American upper class