On View
Slavery and Freedom Gallery
Exhibition
Slavery and Freedom
Written by
Douglass, Frederick, American, 1818 - 1895
Published by
Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society, American, founded 1835
Subject of
Garrison, William Lloyd, American, 1805 - 1879
Phillips, Wendell, American, 1811 - 1884
Date
1845
Medium
ink on paper, cardboard
Dimensions
H x W x D: 7 x 4 1/2 x 5 in. (17.8 x 11.4 x 12.7 cm)
H x W x D (open at 90 degrees): 7 × 5 × 4 7/8 in. (17.8 × 12.7 × 12.4 cm)
H x W x D (open at 60 degrees): 7 × 5 × 4 1/4 in. (17.8 × 12.7 × 10.8 cm)
Description
A first edition copy of the memoir and antislavery book Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Written by Himself. The hardcover book has a brown cover with an imprinted decorative border and scrollwork. The title is stamped in gold lettering in the center: [NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE / OF / FREDERICK DOUGLASS]. The frontispiece illustration is a portrait of Douglass, seated at a table, wearing jacket, vest, and tie, with his hands crossed in his lap. The first page prints the full title in alternating large and small type: [NARRATIVE / OF THE / LIFE / OF / FREDERICK DOUGLASS, / AN / AMERICAN SLAVE. / WRITTEN BY HIMSELF]. The last part of the title appears between two horizontal lines. At the bottom center is the publishing information: [BOSTON: / PUBLISHED AT THE ANTI-SLAVERY OFFICE, / No. 25 CORNHILL / 1845.]. The book has a preface written by William Lloyd Garrison and a prefatory letter by Wendell Phillips. There are 125 pages.
Place printed
Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States, North and Central America
Classification
Slavery and Freedom Objects
Documents and Published Materials-Published Works
Movement
Abolitionist movement
Type
narratives
hardcover books
Topic
Antislavery
Freedom
Fugitive enslaved
Identity
Literature
Men
Resistance
Self-liberation
Slavery
U.S. History, 1815-1861
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Elizabeth Cassell
Object number
2011.43.1
Restrictions & Rights
Public domain
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd591fe36d9-f8c3-463c-9599-d71a955cbcaa

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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