John H. Pollack
John H. Pollack is Curator, Research Services, in the Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts at the University of Pennsylvania Libraries. He has worked in this department since 1995. His responsibilities include providing assistance to students and scholars, and teaching and organizing class sessions centered on the collections. He is also responsible for the Furness Shakespeare Library, which is part of the Kislak Center.
John holds a PhD in English from Penn and a BA from Washington University in St. Louis. He specializes in Early American literature and history, and early modern book history. His research has focused on topics including Native American languages; colonial writings from New France; and Benjamin Franklin and colonial education.
Douglass Day is a celebration of 19th-century Black achievement held annually on February 14, the day Frederick Douglass chose to celebrate his birthday. Each year communities gather at universities and colleges across the country to transcribe letters, news coverages and other documents related to the Colored Conventions Movement. This year, our focus will be to transcribe the activities of Black Women in the Colored Conventions Project.
This event will take place in-person and also virtually, via Zoom. Please register in advance to attend either the in-person or the virtual sessions.
Register for in-person attendance: join us at Penn Libraries, in the Class of 78 Pavilion in the Kislak Center, to help make these documents accessible online while enjoying music. A display of antislavery primary sources related to Douglass will be on display in the Lea Library.
Please bring your own laptop, if possible, for transcribing. If you do not have a computer, a limited number of shared devices will be provided.
Register to attend this event via Zoom (link will be provided 1 day in advance).
More information about Douglass Day and the Colored Conventions Project.
Co-sponsored by the Price Lab for Digital Humanities.
In order to attend Douglass Day, you must be fully vaccinated. When entering the Library, Penn-affiliated visitors must show a green PennOpen Pass.
- Before arriving on campus, complete your vaccination, symptom, and exposure check at pennopen.med.upenn.edu/
campus. - You will receive a green pass when you report your fully vaccinated status, no symptoms, no recent contact with someone who may have COVID-19, and no recent positive test.
- Show your green pass at the entrance to the library.
