The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
Douglass published his memoir, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, in 1845. Through his written experiences, he aimed to showcase the horrors of slavery and advance the cause for abolition. This work brought Douglass widespread publicity; between 1845 and 1860, the book sold over 30,000 copies. It was one of the most influential pieces of abolitionist literature in the 19th century and helped fuel the abolitionist movement.
The description of the power of literature as a tool for liberation exemplifies Douglass’ mastery of words: “The silver trump of freedom had roused my soul to eternal wakefulness. Freedom now appeared, to disappear no more forever. It was heard in every sound and seen in everything. It was ever present to torment me with a sense of my wretched condition. I saw nothing without seeing it, I heard nothing without hearing it, and felt nothing without feeling it. It looked from every star, it smiled in every calm, breathed in every wind, and moved in every storm.”