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Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave

African American Museum

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    Object Details

    Written by

    Frederick Douglass, American, 1818 - 1895

    Published by

    Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society, American, founded 1835

    Subject of

    William Lloyd Garrison, American, 1805 - 1879
    Wendell Phillips, American, 1811 - 1884

    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.

    Credit Line

    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Elizabeth Cassell

    Date

    1845

    Object number

    2011.43.1

    Restrictions & Rights

    Public domain
    Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

    Type

    narratives
    hardcover books

    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)

    Place printed

    Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States, North and Central America

    See more items in

    National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

    Classification

    Slavery and Freedom Objects
    Books and Published Materials

    Movement

    Abolitionist movement

    Data Source

    National Museum of African American History and Culture

    Topic

    African American
    Antislavery
    Freedom
    Fugitive enslaved
    Identity
    Literature
    Men
    Resistance
    Self-liberation
    Slavery
    U.S. History, 1815-1861

    Metadata Usage

    CC0

    Link to Original Record

    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd591fe36d9-f8c3-463c-9599-d71a955cbcaa

    Record ID

    nmaahc_2011.43.1

    Discover More

    ambrotype of Frederick Douglass

    Frederick Douglass: Abolitionist, Author, Statesman

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