Free the Slaves is accepting nominations for the 2010 Frederick Douglass Award. This award will be given to an individual who has survived a form of slavery and is now using his or her life in freedom to assist others. This award honours the tremendous resilience of the human spirit and emphasises that many survivors of modern-day slavery go on to help others to freedom. It offers US$10,000 for training and capacity building to support a survivor in continuing and expanding his or her work and a total of US$10,000 over two years to be used as he or she feels is appropriate.

Both nominations and self-nominations are welcome. Individuals in any part of the world are eligible for this award.


The Frederick Douglass Award will be given to an individual survivor of slavery whose current life and work most clearly shows:

• Active care and compassionate initiative toward other people in need (in slavery or another kind of human need).
• Determination to seek out his or her own purpose in life and decide on his or her own actions.
• Ability to cope with and overcome challenges.
• Integrity in his or her beliefs, ideas, and practical activities.

Click here for more information and access to a downloadable nomination form in MS Word format.

Click here to read about two previous winners.

Email from Zorba Leslie to The Communication Initiative on September 7 2009, and Free the Slaves website.