Robert McCorkell to Frederick Douglass, January 1, 1874

ROBERT MCCORKELL^{1Robert D. T. McCorkell (c. 1825–80) was an immigrant of white ancestry from Jamaica who settled in Philadelphia around 1856. McCorkell worked as a copyist in 1863 and as a clerk in 1873. “Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Naturalization Records, 1789–1880,” Ancestry.com; “Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Death Certificates Index, 1803–1915,” FamilySearch.org; McElroy’s Philadelphia City Directory for 1863 (Philadelphia, 1863), 474.} TO FREDERICK DOUGLASS

Philadelphia[, Pa.] 1 January 1874[.]

DEAR SIR,

Excuse the liberty that I have taken in thus addressing you, my object in doing so is to enquire from you; whether you approve or think it a feasible project in establishing in Washington City a Normal Institution for young (Colored) men only to be instructed & educated as Teachers, I went thru the Classics in the old Country am a native of Jamaica West Indies where I was myself instructed with several young Men by the first Teacher in the Normal or training system (the Revd John Murray Auld a native of Glasgow Scotland)^{2John Murray Auld (?–c. 1880) shows up only occasionally in the history of Kingston, Jamaica. He was an officer of the Colonial Literary and Reading Society in Kingston and in later years was recorded as a Presbyterian rather than a Methodist minister. Kingston Daily Gleaner, 16 October 1880; 1865 Jamaica Almanac (online).} who was engaged by the Methodist denomination to instruct young Men themselves to teach, and sent as Principals to their various schools.

I now thought that the young Men in this Country could be similarly instructed since there is now no barrier in this Great & Glorious Republic to be educated and now there is a chance and an opportunity for so doing. I would feel proud and highly honored to have the pleasure of an introduction to you and hear your views and impressions on this subject—I will feel also proud to be installed as the first Teacher in the City of Washington for young Men all <to be> teachers should you seem likely <to favor the project> and get up an Institution I would be pleased if it should be honored with your Name “The Douglass” Normal Institute^{3There is no evidence of a Douglass Normal School being opened in Washington, D.C. General O. O. Howard tells how the Freedmen’s Bureau bought farmland south of the Anacostia River in Washington and then sold plots to homeless freedmen. The plan was to use the money from land sales to establish a normal school for African Americans in the District. Since the owner of the farm was David Barry, the black neighborhood became known as “Barry Farm.” Douglass eventually purchased his Cedar Hill estate nearby. The need for an institution to prepare teachers of African American students was eventually met by the Miner Normal School, affiliated with Howard University from 1871 to 1876 and then with the District of Columbia public school system. Howard, Autobiography, 420–22; Hutchinson, Anacostia Story, 83; Green, Secret City, 110, 135, 195.} and be under your superintendance as its President.

—I now subscribe myself—

Yours with every token of respect

ROBERT MCCORKELL

ALS: General Correspondence File, reel 2, frames 712–13, FD Papers, DLC.

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