The Lesson of the Hour Author:Frederick Douglass In 1892 Frederick Douglass represented the Republic of Haiti at the Chicago World's Fair, also known as the Columbian Exposition. At this, the first of the great world fairs, the United States exhibit did not acknowledge the culture, history, contributions, intellect or talent of a single Afro-American man or woman. While in Chicago, Freder... more »ick Douglass met Ida B. Wells, the intrepid and courageous, black anti-lynching crusader and journalist, who gave him first hand accounts of the lynchings she had seen throughout the South. Summarily executed, primarily on the charge of rape, hundreds of black men were losing their lives to what Douglass called "mobocrats." That the rights and justice so sorely fought for during the Civil War and aspired to during Reconstruction were being overridden by an epidemic of mob violence, racism and color prejudice had enraged and disheartened the despondent Frederick Douglass. Miss Wells fervor re-kindled Douglass' fiery spirit to write one last, great speech. Two years later, having refined his thoughts in several newspaper pieces, and, at age 76, Mr. Douglass delivered "The Lesson of the Hour: Why the Negro Is Lynched" at the historic Metropolitan A.M.E. Church in Washington, D.C. The speech describes the persistent causes of racism in America, condemns lynch law, and proposes a solution: justice.« less