Frederick Douglass (1818–1895)

Frederick Douglass rose to great heights as a renowned figure in Washington D.C., and represents the epitome of "a man of humble origins". He began life as a slave on a Maryland plantation. While he was still a child, through a stroke of good fortune he was delivered to Baltimore to serve his master's relation. His discovery of the path from slavery via literacy was equally fortuitous, but it took a great deal of ingenuity to become literate. After escaping slavery altogether, he came among abolitionists who encouraged him to share his story in this written form in 1845. From that point on he was famous, earning high regard in America and beyond.

Hollywood has many times depicted the life of the American slave, but they are all a step removed from reading of the actual experience in the words of an actual witness and victim of the crime. Douglass does not overly dwell on the horrors as much as he challenges the morality of such acts and counts his blessings for having escaped them. I find it remarkable that he clearly stated the identities of his former masters, when the law still allowed for escaped slaves to be reclaimed. His account accuses them of everything up to and including murder. Many memoirs written today feature altered names and anonymity for less reason than that (and he does extend this courtesy to those whom he needs to protect). Public opinion being the only thing he could turn to for justice, its achievement must have been his aim. I doubt whether he saw full justice done - he has written two more biographies and I look forward to the rest of his story - but in any case those recorded names are now justly maligned for as long as his memoir continues to be read.

It's a work that fully deserves five stars in light of what it records, when it was recorded, and what it represents.… (plus d'informations)

Hakim Adi's selection of writings about Britain (mainly England) by Black people of the late 18th to the early 20th century is carefully chosen to establish their presence in all strata of society at a date earlier than certain commentators would wish it known. There's a thread showing the development of abolitionism into emancipation into supremacism to justify the continued exploitation of Black Labour, and Adi's selections often strongly resonate with current issues, such as the Windrush scandal and the illegal Tory Rwanda deportation policy.

There's also many fascinating glimpses into Georgian and Victorian society and, while varying degrees of racism are noted, many of the impressions of visitors to the island are positive about their reception and of the culture in which they find themselves.

A nuanced and balanced selection of historical testimonies which I thoroughly enjoyed reading, not least the short section on John Ocansey's day trip from Liverpool to my home town of Southport 🏖️… (plus d'informations)