Douglass Descendants Declare War on Human Trafficking - Modern-Day Slavery

Image via Wikipedia

ATLANTA, Dec. 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- "Slavery exists today and it is time to educate ourselves about the brutal exploitation people in our own communities are experiencing."

These are the words of Kenneth B. Morris, Jr., but they echo those of a famous ancestor who escaped slavery at age 20 and went on to become a defender of human rights and one of America's greatest leaders. The family of the great Abolitionist, Frederick Douglass, wants your help in ending all forms of modern-day slavery and human trafficking. "It's the world's second most profitable illegal industry, yet the buying and selling of people is a crime that's poorly understood, " says Mr. Morris, President of the Frederick Douglass Family Foundation.

Students from middle schools and high schools across the country have been selected to help the foundation launch an awareness campaign beginning December 2nd. The campaign, being touted as the beginning of a new Abolitionist Movement, happens in concert with the United Nations' International Day for the Abolition of Slavery which commemorates a 1949 UN convention to end human trafficking and the exploitation of people everywhere in the world.

How can you help? On December 2nd, young people all over the USA will communicate the message of Abolition Day to friends, family and as many people as they can reach through the Internet and the media. Non-profit organizations and government agencies that deal with this issue will use December 2nd as a day to talk about the work they do. The foundation also asks:

* Parents to learn: how their children could become victims of human trafficking and discuss it openly with the entire family (go to www.fdff.org/adproject for ideas),
* Community and church leaders to host: open forums about human trafficking,
* Law Enforcement to visit: schools and create programs in which students can participate.

The Frederick Douglass Family Foundation's Chairwomen, Nettie Washington Douglass, says that, "Women and children are most frequently the victims of these tragic crimes." Mrs. Douglass is the great great granddaughter of Frederick Douglass and she is the great granddaughter of Booker T. Washington. Mr. Morris is her eldest son.

The Frederick Douglass Family Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity. For more information about the Abolition Day project go to www.fdff.org/adproject. For information about the foundation contact Robert Benz at 702-523-4845 or email rbenz@fdff.org.

SOURCE The Frederick Douglass Family Foundation

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/douglass-descendants-declare-war-on-human-trafficking---modern-day-slavery-78208032.html

Related articles by Zemanta

• Expert: Child traffickers target runaways, 'throwaways' (cnn.com)