EASTON, Md. (AP) — A statue honoring abolitionist Frederick Douglass will be unveiled this week in Easton.

Events are also being held leading up to Saturday’s celebration outside the Talbot County Courthouse. A reception is scheduled Thursday with the sculptor of the statue and a gala is scheduled Friday.

The statue was created by Jay Hall Carpenter, known for his work at Washington’s National Cathedral, the Smithsonian and churches nationwide.

The County Council approved the statue in 2004 after months of heated debate about a location. The courthouse lawn also includes a memorial to local men who fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War.

Douglass was born into slavery in Talbot County and went on to become an internationally famed author, speaker, abolitionist and supporter of women’s rights.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)