"Frederick Douglass in Brooklyn" Edited by Theodore Hamm, Akashic Books

Frederick Douglass in Brooklyn 

Edited by Theodore Hamm

Akashic Books

Frederick Douglass in Brooklyn edited by Theodore Hamm

"A collection of rousing 19th-century speeches on freedom and humanity. The eloquent orator Frederick Douglass delivered eight impressive speeches in Brooklyn, New York, ‘far from a bastion of abolitionist support,’ which, even as late as 1886, had only a small black population...Editor Hamm provides helpful introductions and notes and gives illuminating context and perspective...Proof that Douglass's speeches, responding to the historical exigencies of his time, amply bear rereading today." —Kirkus Reviews 

"It is my hope that this book will introduce Frederick Douglass to a generation that could benefit from the example of his clarity of purpose and moral vision, as well as his relationship to the borough of Brooklyn."

—Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams

This volume compiles original source material that illustrates the complex relationship between Frederick Douglass and the city of Brooklyn. Most prominent are the speeches the abolitionist gave at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Plymouth Church, and other leading Brooklyn institutions. Whether discussing the politics of the Civil War or recounting his relationships with Abraham Lincoln and John Brown, Douglass’s towering voice sounds anything but dated. An introductory essay examines the intricate ties between Douglass and Brooklyn abolitionists, while brief chapter introductions and annotations fill in the historical context.