One of the greatest works of American autobiography, in a definitive Library of America text: Published seven years after his escape from slavery, "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave" (1845) is a powerful account of the cruelty and oppression of the Maryland plantation culture into which Frederick Douglass was born. It brought him to the forefront of the antislavery movement and drew thousands, black and white, to the cause....

The autobiography of Booker T. Washington, a remarkable orator and former slave who pressed for equality and black community.

When Harriet Tubman was born a plantation slave in 1820, her parents hoped she could learn a trade and be spared from working in the fields. But because she defended a slave against an overseer, she became a field hand anyway. As she learned to survive in the woods and find her way by the North Star, she dreamed of freedom. When she was almost 30, she finally made her escape-but securing her own freedom wasn't enough. Risking life and limb, she became...

The true story behind the acclaimed movie 12 Years a Slave, this book is based on the life of Solomon Northup, a free black man from New York who was captured in the United States and sold into slavery in Louisiana. Solomon Northup awoke in the middle of the night with his body trembling. Slowly, he realized that he was handcuffed in a dark room and his feet were chained to the floor. He managed to slip his hand into his pocket to look for his free...

"How much do you know about Harriet Tubman? Find out the facts you need to know about this conductor on the Underground Railroad. You'll learn about the early life, challenges, and major accomplishments of this important American."--Provided by publisher.

Discover the world of one of America's most celebrated abolitionists, writers, and orators in this inspirational biography of Frederick Douglass. Kids will learn about his life, achievements, and the challenges he faced along the way. The Level 2 text provides accessible, yet wide-ranging, information for independent readers. --Publisher.

"12 Years a Slave" is the harrowing, true account of a free Black man living in New York during the early 1800's who is kidnaped, transported to Louisiana and forced to work and live as a slave for over a decade. Written by the man who experienced these horrors - Solomon Northup - this book is a powerful and disturbing first-hand account of what it was like to live under the lash and chronicles the torments Northup endured in attempting to escape...

A biography of the ninteenth-century woman who escaped slavery and helped many other slaves get to freedom on the Underground Railroad.