By BRIAN WITTE
Associated Press
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) _ A full-length portrait of Frederick Douglass is now the first painting of an African-American to go on display in the Maryland governor’s mansion.
The portrait of the 19th century abolitionist was unveiled Monday night inside Government House, which is the name of the residence.
The portrait will hang in the mansion’s Entrance Hall, across from a portrait of Queen Henrietta Maria of England, for whom the state is named.
Gov. Martin O’Malley’s administration says the portrait was commissioned entirely by Brown Capital Management. O’Malley thanked CEO Eddie Brown and his wife Sylvia for making the portrait possible.
It was painted by artist Simmie Knox, who also did the official White House portraits of President Clinton and then-first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Douglass was from Talbot County on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
