The Black Man, His Antecedents, His Genius, and His Achievements

THE calumniators and traducers of the Negro are to be found, mainly, among two classes. The first and most relentless are those who have done them the greatest injury, by being instrumental in their enslavement and consequent degradation. They delight to descant upon the "natural inferiority" of the blacks, and claim that we were destined only for a servile condition, entitled neither to liberty nor the legitimate pursuit of happiness. The second class are those who are ignorant of the characteristics of the race, and are the mere echoes of the first.

William Wells Brown was an African American author, abolitionist, and lecturer born in 1814. He is best known for his book "The Escape; or, A Leap for Freedom," which was published in 1858. His work "the escape or a leap for freedom" is a fictionalized account of Brown's own escape from slavery in Kentucky in 1834. Brown was a prominent figure in the abolitionist movement and used his writing to speak out against slavery and racism. In addition to "The Escape," he wrote several other books, including a memoir titled "Narrative of William W. Brown, a Fugitive Slave" and a play called "The Escape; or, A Leap to Freedom." William Wells Brown was an important figure in American history and his writing played a significant role in the fight against slavery and for the rights of African Americans. "The Escape" remains a powerful and important work today, offering insight into the experiences of those who lived through slavery and the fight for freedom.