The 1845 autobiography, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass provides an elaborate examination of the hardships of slavery. Frederick Douglass' firsthand recounting of the whippings, beatings, and hangings he observed as a slave in the nineteenth century vividly illustrate the poor treatment African American slaves endured in the South. His words, thoughts, and feelings throughout his internment as a slave provide an in depth description of his account. Douglass' personal writings about his own survival served as crucial elements to add momentum to the abolition of slaves nearby. His autobiographical story bridges the gap between simple historical facts and the myths associated with American slavery.

Scholarly writers have commented that Douglass' autobiography has become, "The representative text from the nineteenth-century African American literature for courses in American history of literature" (Bruce). The people that have not read this book are deprived of not only the knowledge of...