Students at Simmons Career and Exceptional Center took part in an immersive presentation on Frederick Douglass last week, learning just how high the obstacles the American hero hurdled were as he helped bring an end to the injustice of slavery in the nation.
Donald Dowridge of DLD Enterprises is known throughout the country as a motivational guru who empowers others to pursue greatness. One of his most beloved performances is a dramatic retelling of Douglass’s tale, which he does while acting as the abolitionist.
He’s told his story in theaters, schools and centers across the country over the last 10 years, keeping the hero alive with the moving work and inspiring new generations of admirers. Dowridge bears a striking resemblance to the social reformer and after intense research was able to add depth to his story few are ever lucky enough to witness.
“The whole premises is to create or take the audience on a trip from the 21st century in which we are back to the 19th century as much as possible,” Dowridge said. “In order to do that, quite naturally I don’t speak or talk like they did back then, but I try to paint as much of a vivid picture as possible. The audience can in their own mind kind of envision what it was like for the slaves back then, what it meant for Fredrick Douglass to meet with Abraham Lincoln, what it was like to run from slavery to freedom, to stand up and write his story.”
As he delved into his monologue the teens in the room chimed in and afterword several shared their pleasure at having learned so much about a man their textbooks only skimmed. Part of their fascination and respect for the presentation started the second Dowridge first stepped up to the center of the room.
Much like Douglass, Dowridge faced his own share of obstacles growing up. He said he was the victim of five foster homes in which he was mentally, physically, sexually and verbally abused. When he was sent back to his biological father, he suffered even more physical abuse.
Despite the living hell at home, Dowridge was a class clown. He remembers seeing James Brown on the Ed Sullivan show as a child and knowing he wanted to one day do something like that. It was a dream, but Dowridge never dared to hope it would become a reality.
“To become an adult and to find myself singing and dancing, creating performances that were impacting lives, it was a dream come true,” Dowridge said. “I’ll be honest with you, all these years later it’s still a dream. I want students to know they can work hard and make their dreams a reality. It’s why I share my story before I step into the role of Frederick Douglass. I want them to know they can become whoever they wish to be.”
Sonya Reid, program advisor at Simmons, wanted that kind of impact for her students. Originally Dowridge was going to be brought in for Black History Month after being recommended by her fellow teacher. But Reid had a bigger plan in mind.
“I wanted to do something that most students have very little knowledge of, even to this day,” Reid said. “I wanted the students to feel like they were there, not to just read it. I wanted someone to do the actual monologue and not just talk about what they did… When you bring in speakers you know within the first few seconds if the students are gong to listen or if they’ll pull out their cell phones. He was able to keep their attention the entire time.”
Students at Simmons are given a second opportunity to graduate from high school at an accelerated pace. They’re offered a fresh start and Reid said the staff welcomes them with open arms, showing them love and support throughout their term at the school. She wanted to offer something special for the students and came up with the idea to have a guest speaker or presentation every three months that focuses on a multi-cultural education.
“Encouraging these educational experiences, it has to be a movement, a torch that is held by everyone, not only educators,” Reid said. “This isn’t just about black history or white history. America is the melting pot of the world, it wasn’t founded on just one race. We want to teach children the stories of everyone who made an impact on our nation.”
Reid said one of the students after the presentation came up to her and said Dowridge’s energy and passion throughout the monologue made her want to strive to become more engaged and motivated and work even harder to accomplish the things she wants after graduation.
Dowridge said he hears similar sentiments nearly everywhere he goes. It’s something that makes him proud, knowing he’s helping people have the courage to fight their own battles while also helping new generations fall in love with Douglass. The stories keep him motivated to continue his performances.
“I’ve had students contact me after because they end up doing reports for school on Frederick Douglass because of the play,” Dowridge said. “It’s making an impact on our youth and it’s giving them something to look forward to. Even just the skills of being an actor, just my story, they can see ‘wow he is like me.’ It also put some hope and aspiration and motivation for them to be able to conquer whatever dream they have. It’s an avenue for them to say, ‘Hey I can do this. All hope is not lost.’”