Narrative of William W. Brown, anAmerican slave / written by himself, William Wells Brown.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Brown, William Wells, 1814?-1884.

Contributor:

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Documenting the American South (Project).

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library.

Standardized Title:

Narrative of William W. Brown, a fugitve slave

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Fugitive slaves--United States--Biography.

Fugitive slaves.

African Americans--Biography.

African Americans.

Enslaved persons--Missouri--Biography.

Enslaved persons.

Plantation life--Missouri--History--19th century.

Plantation life.

Slavery--Missouri--History--19th century.

Slavery.

Enslaved persons' writings, American--Missouri--Sources.

Enslaved persons' writings, American.

Brown, William Wells, 1814?-1884.

Brown, William Wells.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (111 p.)

Edition:

DocSouth Books ed.

Place of Publication:

Chapel Hill, NC : University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library : distributed by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Press, 2011.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

By 1849, the Narrative of William W. Brown was in its fourth edition, having sold over 8,000 copies in less than eighteen months and making it one of the fastest-selling antislavery tracts of its time. The book's popularity can be attributed both to the strong voice of its author and Brown's notoriety as an abolitionist speaker. The son of a slave and a white man, Brown recounts his years in servitude, his cruel masters, and the brutal whippings he and those around him received. He provides a detailed description of his failed attempt to escape with his mother; after their capture, they were sold to new masters. A subsequent escape attempt succeeds. He is taken in by a kind Quaker, Wells Brown, whose name he adopts in gratitude. Shortly thereafter, Brown crosses the Canadian border. Brown's Narrative includes stories of fighting devious slave traders and bounty hunters, various antislavery poems, articles and stories (written by him and others), newspaper clippings, reward posters, and slave sale announcements.

Contents:

""About This Edition""; ""PREFACE""; ""NARRATIVE.""; ""CHAPTER I.""; ""CHAPTER II.""; ""CHAPTER III.""; ""CHAPTER IV.""; ""CHAPTER V.""; ""CHAPTER VI.""; ""CHAPTER VII.""; ""CHAPTER VIII.""; ""CHAPTER IX.""; ""CHAPTER X.""; ""CHAPTER XI.""; ""CHAPTER XII.""; ""FROM THE LIBERTY BELL OF 1848.""; ""THE AMERICAN SLAVE-TRADE.""; ""FLIGHT OF THE BONDMAN.""; ""DEDICATED TO WILLIAM W. BROWN,""; "" And sung by the Hutchinsons.""; "" FREEDOM'S STAR.""; "" LAMENT OF THE FUGITIVE SLAVE.""; "" APPENDIX.""; ""TESTIMONIALS""

Notes:

Prepared using the transcribed electronic text used in the "Documenting the American South" (DocSouth) Project.

Reprint of 3rd British ed.: London, C. Gilpin, 1849.

Originally published as: Narrative of William W. Brown, a fugitve slave ; Boston, Ant-slavery office, 1847.

ISBN:

9798890843258

9781469602882

1469602881

9780807869604

0807869600

OCLC:

933516693