EGL 2050 - Early American Literature: Frederick Douglass

**Winner of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in History** *Winner of the Bancroft, Parkman, Los Angeles Times (biography), Lincoln, Plutarch, and Christopher Awards* Named one of the Best Books of 2018 by The New York Times Book Review, The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune, The San Francisco Chronicle, and Time "Extraordinary...a great American biography" (The New Yorker) of the most important African-American of the nineteenth century: Frederick Douglass, the escaped slave who became the greatest orator of his day and one of the leading abolitionists and writers of the era. As a young man Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) escaped from slavery in Baltimore, Maryland. He was fortunate to have been taught to read by his slave owner mistress, and he would go on to become one of the major literary figures of his time. His very existence gave the lie to slave owners: with dignity and great intelligence he bore witness to the brutality of slavery. Initially mentored by William Lloyd Garrison, Douglass spoke widely, using his own story to condemn slavery. By the Civil War, Douglass had become the most famed and widely travelled orator in the nation. In his unique and eloquent voice, written and spoken, Douglass was a fierce critic of the United States as well as a radical patriot. After the war he sometimes argued politically with younger African Americans, but he never forsook either the Republican party or the cause of black civil and political rights.

A new cornerstone reference for students, scholars, and general readers, on Frederick Douglass--his life, writings, speeches, political views, and legacy. * Comprises 100 alphabetically organized entries on the life, writings, activism, and influence of Frederick Douglass * Presents a team of expert contributors providing insights into all facets of Douglass' life and work * Includes drawings and photographs of the life of Frederick Douglass * Outlines a chronology of the major events of the life of Frederick Douglass and of the nation during his lifetime * Provides a bibliography of print and online resources for further reading

To celebrate the bicentenary of Frederick Douglass's birth in 2018, this new annotated edition of his classic autobiography shows how his insights on slavery, racism, and the pursuit of self-reliance are still highly relevant today in 21st-century America. * Reveals the footprints of history throughout Douglass's narrative via the accessible annotations--insights that would otherwise easily be missed by modern readers * Provides opening chapters that present critical historical background that few contemporary Americans know about, but is crucial for understanding the context of Douglass's narrative * Addresses the concepts of racism and white privilege--two concepts that preside over Douglass's book and are still at the center of American society--through Douglass's writings and the events of his life * Includes numerous illustrations of Douglass and his world, adding further context to his autobiographical narrative