Frederick Douglass was an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became a national leader of the abolitionist movement in Massachusetts and New York, gaining note for his oratory and incisive antislavery writings. He became the most influencal African American of the 19th century. In three very notable autobiographies he wrote about his struggles and experiences.
Nacido como esclavo, Frederick Douglass se educó, escapó y se convirtió en uno de los más grandes líderes de la historia de Estados Unidos. Aquí, en este volumen de la Biblioteca de América, se recopilan sus tres narraciones autobiográficas, ahora reconocidas como clásicos de la historia y la literatura estadounidense. Escribiendo con la elocuencia y la inteligencia feroz que lo convirtieron en un portavoz brillantemente efectivo para la abolición de la esclavitud y la igualdad de derechos, Douglass da forma a una visión inspiradora de autorrealización frente a las probabilidades monumentales.La narrativa de la vida de Frederick Douglass, un esclavo estadounidense (1845), publicada siete años después de su fuga, fue escrita en parte como una respuesta a los escépticos que se negaron a creer que un orador tan articulado podría haber sido esclavo. Una descripción poderosamente comprimida de la crueldad y la opresión de la cultura de plantación de Maryland en la que nació Douglass, lo llevó a la vanguardia del movimiento contra la esclavitud y atrajo a miles, en blanco y negro, a la causa.
»Wer Amerika verstehen will, muss dieses Buch lesen.« Barack Obama
Frederick Douglass ist eine Ikone des afroamerikanischen Befreiungskampfes – mit seiner 1845 erschienenen Autobiographie, die jetzt in einer neuen Übersetzung vorliegt, wurde er schlagartig berühmt. Darin blickt er auf sein Leben in der Sklaverei zurück. Er erzählt vom Alltag der Ausgebeuteten, den Herrschaftsstrukturen auf den Plantagen und den kleinen Fluchten, die ihm das Leben als Diener einer Familie ermöglichte. Als Junge lernte er heimlich Lesen und erfuhr so immer mehr über Unterdrückung und Ausbeutung der Schwarzen. Schließlich gelang ihm die Flucht – und eine aufsehenerregende Karriere als Aktivist gegen die Sklaverei und als Politiker begann. Seine Schilderungen führen auf die Tabakplantagen Marylands und in die Häfen Baltimores. Dabei beschreibt Douglass die Brutalität der Aufseher, die Lebensumstände der Sklaven, ihre Solidarität untereinander – und nicht zuletzt seinen mühseligen Weg in die Freiheit. Ganz nebenbei entsteht das Porträt einer starken Persönlichkeit, die sich schon in jungen Jahren für Freiheit und Gerechtigkeit einsetzt – mit einer unverwechselbaren Stimme.
DISCOVER ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ACCOUNTS OF SLAVERY IN NINETEENTH CENTURY AMERICA One of history’s greatest crimes, the American slave trade led to the suffering of untold numbers of men and women. But how can we better understand the lives and experiences of those who endured it? Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is a harrowing first hand look at the brutal indignities of slavery in the nineteenth century, and the society that allowed it to happen. To better understand our shared present, we need to fully grapple with our difficult past. Douglass’ Narrative is a key piece of that puzzle.An insightful introduction by Debra Newman Ham, a former Black history archivist for the Library of Congress, analyzes the text and looks at the key events in Douglass’ life.
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
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Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written by Himself (1845) is considered to be one of the most influential pieces of literature to fuel the abolitionist movement of the early 19th century in the United States. My Bondage and My Freedom (1855) shows the inspiring manner in which Frederick Douglass transforms himself from slave to fugitive to one of the most powerful voices to emerge from the American civil rights movement, leaving behind a legacy of social, intellectual, and political thought. Life and Times of Frederick Douglass (1892) is the only one of Douglass' autobiographies to discuss his life during and after the Civil War, including his encounters with American presidents such as Lincoln and Garfield and his service as the United States Marshall of the District of Columbia. Excerpt: "I was born in Tuckahoe, near Hillsborough, and about twelve miles from Easton, in Talbot county, Maryland. I have no accurate knowledge of my age, never having seen any authentic record containing it. By far the larger part of the slaves know as little of their ages as horses know of theirs, and it is the wish of most masters within my knowledge to keep their slaves thus ignorant. I do not remember to have ever met a slave who could tell of his birthday." (The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass) Frederick Douglass (1818–1895) was an African-American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became a national leader of the abolitionist movement in Massachusetts and New York, gaining note for his dazzling oratory and incisive antislavery writings.