The Wiley Blackwell Anthology of African American Literature Volume 1 1746–1920 About the website www.wiley.com/go/jarrett The Wiley Blackwell Anthology of African American Literature companion website features a wealth of resources created by the authors to help you use this book in university courses, whether you are an instructor or a student. For Instructors and Students • Q & A with Gene Andrew Jarrett, Editor of The Wiley Blackwell Anthology of African American Literature • Guide to Literary Categories provides an alternative thematic table of contents • Useful Websites for Students featuring links to a host of companion multimedia materials • Key Issues and Themes for each author and period, including questions for reflection • Glossary • Timeline For Instructors • Useful Websites for Instructors featuring links to a host of multimedia materials useful for sparking classroom discussion • Key Issues and Themes with Teaching Suggestions designed to help instructors build their syllabi and plan their class lectures • Sample Syllabi The Wiley Blackwell Anthology of African American Literature Volume 1 1746–1920 EdiTEd By GEnE AndrEW JArrETT This edition first published 2014 © John Wiley & Sons, Ltd Registered Office John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8SQ, UK Editorial Offices 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148–5020, USA 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford, OX4 2DQ, UK The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8SQ, UK For details of our global editorial offices, for customer services, and for information about how to apply for permission to reuse the copyright material in this book please see our website at www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell. The right of Gene Andrew Jarrett to be identified as the author of the editorial material in this work has been asserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, except as permitted by the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, without the prior permission of the publisher. Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books. Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book are trade names, service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publisher is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. It is sold on the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering professional services and neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. If professional advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data The Wiley Blackwell Anthology of African American Literature: Volume 1, 1746–1920 / edited by Gene Andrew Jarrett. pages cm. – (Blackwell anthologies) Includes index. ISBN 978-0-470-65800-0 (hardback) – ISBN 978-0-470-65799-7 (paper) 1. American literature–African American authors. I. Jarrett, Gene Andrew, 1975– editor of compilation. PS153.N5W486 2014 810.9ʹ896073–dc23 2013033149 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Cover image: Volume 1: Lois Mailou Jones, Babelle, Paris 1937, oil on canvas, 21 3/4 × 18 1/2 inches. Courtsey of Lois Mailou Jones Pierre-Noel Trust, Gift from the Trust to Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, North Carolina USA. Cover design by Richard Boxall Design Associates Set in 10/12.5pt Dante by SPi Publisher Services, Pondicherry, India 1 2014 Table of Contents (by Chronology) Editorial Advisory Board x Preface xi Introduction xvi Principles of Selection and Editorial Procedures xix Acknowledgments xxi Table of Contents (by Genre) xxiii Part 1 The Literatures of Africa, Middle Passage, and Slavery: c.1746–1830 1 Introduction 3 Lucy Terry (c.1730–1821) 7 Bars Fight (1746) 8 Briton Hammon (dates unknown) 9 Narrative of the Uncommon Sufferings and Surprizing Deliverance of Briton Hammon, a Negro Man (1760) 10 Phillis Wheatley (c.1753–1784) 15 From Poems on Various Subjects (1773) 17 To Maecenas 17 To the University of Cambridge, in New England 18 On Being Brought from Africa to America 19 On the Death of the Rev. Dr. Sewell. 1769 20 On the Death of the Rev. Mr. George Whitefield. 1770 21 On the Death of a Young Lady of Five Years of Age 22 vi On Recollection 23 s On Imagination 25 t n e To the Right Honourable William, Earl of Dartmouth, t n His Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for o C North-America, &c. 26 To S.M., a Young African Painter, on Seeing His Works 27 A Farewell to America to Mrs. S.W. 28 Jupiter Hammon (1711–c.1806) 31 An Address to Miss Phillis Wheatly, Ethiopian Poetess, in Boston, Who Came from Africa at Eight Years of Age, and Soon Became Acquainted with the Gospel of Jesus Christ (1778) 32 John Marrant (1755–1791) 35 A Narrative of the Lord’s Wonderful Dealings with John Marrant, a Black (1785) 36 Olaudah Equiano (1745–1797) 49 Extracts from Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, Written by Himself (1789, 1791) 51 Chapter 1. The Author’s Account of His Country, Their Manners and Customs, &c. 51 Chapter 2. The Author’s Birth and Parentage – His Being Kidnapped with His Sister – Horrors of a Slave Ship 60 Chapter 3. The Author Is Carried to Virginia – Arrives in England – His Wonder at a Fall of Snow 69 Chapter 4. A Particular Account of the Celebrated Engagement between Admiral Boscawen and Monsieur Le Clue 78 Chapter 5. Various Interesting Instances of Oppression, Cruelty, and Extortion 89 Chapter 10. Some Account of the Manner of the Author’s Conversion to the Faith of Jesus Christ 99 Chapter 12. Different Transactions of the Author’s Life – Petition to the Queen – Conclusion 109 David Walker (c.1785–1830) 119 Extracts from Appeal in Four Articles; Together with a Preamble, to the Coloured Citizens of the World, but in Particular and Very Expressly, to Those of the United States of America (1829) 120 Article 1. Our Wretchedness in Consequence of Slavery 120 Article 2. Our Wretchedness in Consequence of Ignorance 127 vii Part 2 The Literatures of Slavery and Freedom: s c.1830–1865 137 t n e t Introduction 139 n o C Omar ibn Said (1770–1864) 143 Autobiography of Omar ibn Said, Slave in North Carolina (1831) 144 Frederick Douglass (1818–1895) 147 Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. Written by Himself. (1845) 149 What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July? (1852) 210 William Wells Brown (1814–1884) 221 Narrative of William Wells Brown, an American Slave. Written by Himself. (1847, 1850) 223 The Escape; or, a Leap for Freedom: A Drama in Five Acts (1858) 263 Martin Robison Delany (1812–1885) 299 Extracts from The Condition, Elevation, Emigration, and Destiny of the Colored People of the United States (1852) 300 Chapter 1. Condition of Many Classes in Europe Considered 300 Chapter 2. Comparative Condition of the Colored People of the United States 301 Chapter 3. American Colonization 308 Chapter 4. Our Elevation in the United States 311 Chapter 5. Means of Elevation 313 Chapter 6. The United States Our Country 316 Chapter 17. Emigration of the Colored People of the United States 317 Chapter 23. A Glance at Ourselves – Conclusion 317 Harriet E. Adams Wilson (1825–1900) 323 Our Nig; or, Sketches from the Life of a Free Black (1859) 324 Harriet Ann Jacobs (1813–1897) 365 Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. Written by Herself. (1861) 367 viii Part 3 The Literatures of Reconstruction, s t Racial Uplift, and the New Negro: n e t c.1865–1920 491 n o C Introduction 493 Frank J. Webb (1828–1894) 497 Two Wolves and a Lamb (1870) 498 Marvin Hayle (1870) 524 Pauline Elizabeth Hopkins (1859–1930) 548 Peculiar Sam, or the Underground Railroad: A Musical Drama in Four Acts (1879) 550 Charles Waddell Chesnutt (1858–1932) 565 What Is a White Man? (1889) 567 The Marrow of Tradition (1901) 573 Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (1825–1911) 718 From Sketches of Southern Life (1891) 720 Aunt Chloe 720 The Deliverance 722 Aunt Chloe’s Politics 729 Learning to Read 729 Church Building 731 The Reunion 731 Iola Leroy, or Shadows Uplifted (1892) 733 Anna Julia Cooper (1858–1964) 852 Extract from A Voice from the South (1892) 853 Womanhood: A Vital Element in the Regeneration and Progress of a Race 853 Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872–1906) 867 From Lyrics of Lowly Life (1896) 869 The Poet and His Song 869 Accountability 870 Frederick Douglass 871 A Prayer 872 Passion and Love 873