Famed Abolitionist Returning To Newtown On Anniversary Of 1864 Visit

NEWTOWN BOROUGH, PA – On Feb. 4, 1864, famed abolitionist, orator, statesman and American social reformer Frederick Douglass visited Newtown and spoke at Newtown Hall, now known as Newtown Theatre.

On the 162nd anniversary of his visit - this Wednesday, Feb. 4 – the theatre will welcome nationally acclaimed Frederick Douglass impersonator Darius Wallace to the theatre stage to deliver “Frederick Douglass: The Self-Made Man & The Work of Rebuilding a Nation.”

This is a completely different show than in 2025.

In this one-man theatrical event, Wallace steps into the voice, passion and moral authority of Frederick Dougalss to deliver his powerful Self-Made Man speech – an enduring message about resilience, education and self-determination.

But this is more than a recitation. The evening expands to include what Douglass spoke about in Newtown in 1864, which was his urgent advocacy for the Freedmen’s Bureau – an institution that provided education, housing, and legal aid to millions of newly freed men and women – and his vision for a nation united by justice and equality.

Darius Wallace as Frederick Douglass.

Through a dynamic blend of oratory, theatrical storytelling, and historical context, the audience will be transported to the turbulent Reconstruction era. The audience will not only hear Douglass’s words but feel the stakes of a nation struggling to heal, rebuild and live up to its ideals.

This performance speaks powerfully to today’s conversations about equity, citizenship, and the responsibility we share in shaping a more just society. It is a stirring reminder that the work of freedom is never finished and that we all have a role in building the future.

General admission tickets for this special event are available at TheNewtownTheatre.com for $32 per person or $27 for theatre members.

Prior to the event, a limited number of tickets are available for a 6 to 7 p.m. cocktail hour at the historic Court Inn, 105 Court Street. Wallace will attend the cocktail party as Frederick Douglass. Tickets for the cocktail hour/lecture combo are $60 and include VIP seating at the theatre. All proceeds from the cocktail hour benefit the Newtown Historic Association.

Douglass traveled widely through the northern states during the Civil War, encouraging support for the war effort and for President Lincoln, and preparing his audiences for the task of reuniting the nation after the war was over. He came to Bucks County at the invitation of Mahlon B. Linton of Newtown, one of the county’s leading abolitionists, who had often hosted anti-slavery activists when they visited the area.

While in Newtown in 1864, Douglass spoke to a large crowd at length about the re-construction of the Union. An admission fee of 15 cents was charged, and the receipts amounted to upwards of $46. Proceeds went to the Freedmen’s Association, a group organized to provide relief for newly freed slaves.

For the latest news about the theatre visit TheNewtownTheatre.com .