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Old mistake fixed on NY Capitol’s Frederick Douglass carving

February 28, 2019 GMT

This photo Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019, provided by the New York Governor's Office shows the carved face and name of abolitionist Frederick Douglass in the New York state Capitol, in Albany, N.Y. The Douglass face and name, believed to have been carved into a third-floor column into the ornate interior stonework of the "Million Dollar Staircase" from 1884 to 1898, was corrected on Wednesday to add the second "s" to his last name. (New York Governor's Office via AP)

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A more than 100-year-old mistake in the spelling of 19th century abolitionist Frederick Douglass’ last name on his stone carving at the New York state Capitol has been corrected.

His face is among the faces of 77 famous people carved into the ornate interior stonework of the “Million Dollar Staircase” from 1884 to 1898.

The Douglass face is believed to have been carved into a third-floor column sometime in the 1890s, with his name spelled “Fred. Douglas.” A stone carver hired by the state added the second “s″ on Wednesday.

Douglass’ carving shares a four-sided column also decorated with the faces of Abraham Lincoln and Civil War generals Ulysses S. Grant and Philip Sheridan.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo says it’s “only right” that Douglass’ memory lives on accurately at the state Capitol.