Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave, Written by Himself (John Harvard Library, Belknap Press)

An Autobiographical Account Of A Childhood And Youth Spent In Slavery By A Man Who Became A Great Abolitionist And Leader Of Anti-slavery Activity. Written By Himself. Edited By Benjamin Quarles. Annotation Written more than a century ago by Frederick Douglass, a former slave who went on to become a famous orator, U.S. minister, and a leader of his people, this masterpiece is one of the most eloquent indictments of slavery ever recorded. Douglass's shocking narrative takes the reader into the world of the South's antebellum plantations and reveals the daily terrors he suffered as a slave, shedding invaluable light on one of the most unjust periods in the history of America. Published for the first time as a Signet Classic Frontmatter Introduction by Benjamin Quarles (page vii) Chronology of Douglass' Life (page xxv) Preface by William Lloyd Garrison (page 3) Letter from Wendell Phillips, Esq. (page 17) The Narrative (page 23) This book is an autobiographical account by runaway slave Frederick Douglass that chronicles his experiences with his owners and overseers and discusses how slavery affected both slaves and slaveholders.