The Narrative of the Life of Henry "Box" Brown - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0195148533 ISBN 13: 9780195148534

Publisher: OUP Oxford, 2002

Synopsis

In 1849, Henry Brown escaped from slavery by shipping himself in a crate from Virginia to an anti-slavery office in Philadelphia. Twenty seven hours and three hundred and fifty miles later, Brown stepped out of his box to begin a new life. This is the memoir, originally published in 1851 in England, as fresh and compelling today as it was one hundred and fifty years ago. This extraordinary narrative paints an indelible portrait of life in slavery, and describes one of the most audacious, creative escapes ever completed. With a keen sense of irony, Brown examines the "peculiar institution" - from the hypocrisy of slave-owning Christian preachers, to the system of bribery that forced slaves to purchase the rights to their own belongings, to the practice of separating slave families with no warning. Indeed, it was when his own wife and children were sold away that he became determined to escape, and he enlisted the aid of a friend, who nailed him into a three-foot-by-two-foot wooden box. He travelled by railroad car, steamboat and horse cart - to the free state of Pennsylvania. His unprecedented manner of arrival made him a public sensation in the North, and a celebrity on the anti-slavery lecture circuit. With an introduction by Richard Newman and a foreword by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., The Narrative of the Life of Henry "Box" Brown conveys the unquenchable spirit of a hero who risked death rather than live a slave. A classic slave narrative, it makes unforgettable reading.

About this title

Review:

"Highly readable and moving in its blunt description of slavery and of Brown's experience of shipping himself to Philadelphia."--Carlin Romano, Philadelphia Inquirer "In the remarkable books that Brown left behind, horror serves not only as a surprisingly realistic medium through which to represent slavery, but also as a powerful means of resistance to it. The reader who steps into the the claustrophobic box occupied by Brown encounters an unforgettable reconstruction of the horror--slavery--upon which America itself was built."--Chicago Tribune "Compact, engrossing.... An important work that is necessary for all who wish to appreciate the bitter harvest of our 'peculiar institution' of slavery."--Booklist "A testament to ingenuity and fortitude.... An important and moving document."--Library Journal "What distinguishes Brown's book is its incredible, though brief and uninflected, conclusion, involving one of the most impressive escapes in American letters.... What can be said of Box Brown can be said of slave narratives in general: only by appreciating their confinement can we understand their liberation."--New Republic "Henry Box' Brown's daring escape from slavery is one of the great creative acts in the struggle for black freedom. This is his story."--Cornel West, Alphonse Fletcher Jr. University Professor, Harvard University "Richard Newman has performed a most outstanding and admirable service in restoring this rare and compelling text to a new generation of readers. Brown's story calls to mind in our own generation the determination to achieve democracy by oppressed people throughout the world. His story is just as relevant today as it was one hundred and fifty years ago."--Henry Louis Gates, Jr., W.E.B. Du Bois Professor of the Humanities, Harvard University "This long-neglected autobiography by a self-liberated ex-slave casts new light not only on the breadth of black resistance, but on the very genre of slave narratives itself."--Jill Watts, Associate Professor of History, California State University, San Marcos, and author of Mae West: An Icon in Black and White "Highly readable and moving in its blunt description of slavery and of Brown's experience of shipping himself to Philadelphia."--Carlin Romano, Philadelphia Inquirer "In the remarkable books that Brown left behind, horror serves not only as a surprisingly realistic medium through which to represent slavery, but also as a powerful means of resistance to it. The reader who steps into the the claustrophobic box occupied by Brown encounters an unforgettable reconstruction of the horror--slavery--upon which America itself was built."--Chicago Tribune "Compact, engrossing.... An important work that is necessary for all who wish to appreciate the bitter harvest of our 'peculiar institution' of slavery."--Booklist "A testament to ingenuity and fortitude.... An important and moving document."--Library Journal "What distinguishes Brown's book is its incredible, though brief and uninflected, conclusion, involving one of the most impressive escapes in American letters.... What can be said of Box Brown can be said of slave narratives in general: only by appreciating their confinement can we understand their liberation."--New Republic "Henry Box' Brown's daring escape from slavery is one of the great creative acts in the struggle for black freedom. This is his story."--Cornel West, Alphonse Fletcher Jr. University Professor, Harvard University "Richard Newman has performed a most outstanding and admirable service in restoring this rare and compelling text to a new generation of readers. Brown's story calls to mind in our own generation the determination to achieve democracy by oppressed people throughout the world. His story is just as relevant today as it was one hundredand fifty years ago."--Henry Louis Gates, Jr., W.E.B. Du Bois Professor of the Humanities, Harvard University "This long-neglected autobiography by a self-liberated ex-slave casts new light not only on the breadth of black resistance, but on the very genre of slave narratives itself."--Jill Watts, Associate Professor of History, California State University, San Marcos, and author of Mae West: An Icon in Black and White "Highly readable and moving in its blunt description of slavery and of Brown's experience of shipping himself to Philadelphia."--Carlin Romano, Philadelphia Inquirer "In the remarkable books that Brown left behind, horror serves not only as a surprisingly realistic medium through which to represent slavery, but also as a powerful means of resistance to it. The reader who steps into the the claustrophobic box occupied by Brown encounters an unforgettable reconstruction of the horror--slavery--upon which America itself was built."--Chicago Tribune "Compact, engrossing.... An important work that is necessary for all who wish to appreciate the bitter harvest of our 'peculiar institution' of slavery."--Booklist "A testament to ingenuity and fortitude.... An important and moving document."--Library Journal "What distinguishes Brown's book is its incredible, though brief and uninflected, conclusion, involving one of the most impressive escapes in American letters.... What can be said of Box Brown can be said of slave narratives in general: only by appreciating their confinement can we understand their liberation."--New Republic "Henry Box' Brown's daring escape from slavery is one of the great creative acts in the struggle for black freedom. This is his story."--Cornel West, Alphonse Fletcher Jr. University Professor, Harvard University "Richard Newman has performed a most outstanding and admirable service in restoring this rare and compelling text to a new generation of readers. Brown's story calls to mind in our own generation the determination to achieve democracy by oppressed people throughout the world. Hisstory is just as relevant today as it was one hundred and fifty years ago."--Henry Louis Gates, Jr., W.E.B. Du Bois Professor of the Humanities, Harvard University "This long-neglected autobiography by a self-liberated ex-slave casts new light not only on the breadth of black resistance, but on the very genre of slave narratives itself."--Jill Watts, Associate Professor of History, California State University, San Marcos, and author of Mae West: An Icon in Black and White "Highly readable and moving in its blunt description of slavery and of Brown's experience of shipping himself to Philadelphia."--Carlin Romano, Philadelphia Inquirer "In the remarkable books that Brown left behind, horror serves not only as a surprisingly realistic medium through which to represent slavery, but also as a powerful means of resistance to it. The reader who steps into the the claustrophobic box occupied by Brown encounters an unforgettable reconstruction of the horror--slavery--upon which America itself was built."--Chicago Tribune "Compact, engrossing.... An important work that is necessary for all who wish to appreciate the bitter harvest of our 'peculiar institution' of slavery."--Booklist "A testament to ingenuity and fortitude.... An important and moving document."--Library Journal "What distinguishes Brown's book is its incredible, though brief and uninflected, conclusion, involving one of the most impressive escapes in American letters.... What can be said of Box Brown can be said of slave narratives in general: only by appreciating their confinement can we understand their liberation."--New Republic "Henry Box' Brown's daring escape from slavery is one of the great creative acts in the struggle for black freedom. This is his story."--Cornel West, Alphonse Fletcher Jr. University Professor, Harvard University "Richard Newman has performed a most outstanding and admirable service in restoring this rare and compelling text to a new generation of readers. Brown's story calls to mind in our own generation the determination to achieve democracy by oppressed people throughout the world. His story is just as relevant today as it was onehundred and fifty years ago."--Henry Louis Gates, Jr., W.E.B. Du Bois Professor of the Humanities, Harvard University "This long-neglected autobiography by a self-liberated ex-slave casts new light not only on the breadth of black resistance, but on the very genre of slave narratives itself."--Jill Watts, Associate Professor of History, California State University, San Marcos, and author of Mae West: An Icon in Black and White

Synopsis:

In 1849, Henry Brown escaped from slavery by shipping himself in a crate from Virginia to an anti-slavery office in Philadelphia. Over 27 hours and 350 miles later, he stepped out of his box to begin a new life. This is his memoir, originally published in England in 1851. The narrative paints a vivid portrait of life in slavery and describes one of the most audacious, creative escapes ever completed. With a keen sense of irony, Brown examines the "peculiar institution" from the hypocrisy of slave-owning Christian preachers, to the system of bribery that forced slaves to purchase rights to their own belongings, to the practice of separating slave families with no warning. Indeed, it was when his own wife and children were sold away that he became determined to escape and enlisted the help of a friend, who nailed him into a three-foot-by-two-foot wooden box. Travelling by railroad, car, steamboat and horse cart to the free state of Pennsylvania, Brown's unprecedented manner of arrival made him a public sensation in the North and a celebrity on the anti-slavery lecture circuit. His memoir conveys the unquenchable spirit of a hero who risked death rather than live as a slave.

About this edition

• Publisher: OUP Oxford
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0195148533
• ISBN 13: 9780195148534
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 112
• Editor: Newman Richard