Frederick Douglass Institute

Scholarship. Community. Leadership. Action.

The Frederick Douglass Institute at Kutztown University brings together students, faculty staff and community partners to learn, create, question and act.

Rooted in History. Designed for the Present.

Kutztown’s Frederick Douglass Institute (FDI) is part of the PASSHE Frederick Douglass Institute Collaborative, established in 1995, with deep historical ties to West Chester University, where Douglass delivered his final public lecture in 1895.

At Kutztown, that legacy lives on through the FDI Lecture Series, student enrichment programming, mentorship and internships, and community partnerships.

Advancing Kutztown's Strategic Goals

The work of FDI directly supports Kutztown University’s commitments to:

Academic Excellence

Faculty scholarship, interdisciplinary learning, & public-facing intellectual engagement

Dr. Sotomayor lecturing at the Multicultural Center.
Dr. Min lecturing at FDI event.
Dr. Jackson lecturing at FDI event.

Student Success

Internships, mentorship, leadership opportunities, research collaboration, field excursions, debate, and conference presentations

male teacher and female students speaking at an FDI event.
male student standing, two students, one male one female, sitting, at debate event.
male student holding a microphone with audience members at an FDI event.

Community and Civic Engagement

Civic learning, field excursions, partnerships, public exhibits, and community-based projects.

FDI students pose in front of a window sign that reads "Uncle Bobby's"
FDI students pose in front of Martin Luther King, Jr. statue.
male professor and female student at FDI Teach Forward event.

FDI in Action: The Douglass Paper Quilt Project

Female student and professor examine paper quilt project.
group of professor and students work on paper quilt project.
final product of paper quilt project.

Get Involved

Students, faculty, staff, and community partners can learn more about how to get involved with FDI by contacting and completing this interest survey.

Engage with FDI

Support FDI

Your gift helps expand student scholarships and paid learning opportunities, fund programs and
partnerships, bring distinguished speakers to campus, and support faculty and student research, creative projects, and community engagement.

Give to FDI

"Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom." 

 -Frederick Douglass

Be a part of the Golden Bear future.

Frederick Douglass Institute Logo