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Frederick Douglass in Brooklyn
"In Frederick Douglass in Brooklyn, Theodore Hamm persuasively and passionately makes the case that the borough (and former city) became a powerful forum for Douglass's abolitionist agenda in the mid-19th century after he escaped slavery in 1838."
-- New York Times "Insight into the remarkable life of a remarkable man. [Frederick] Douglass in Brooklyn shows how the great author and agitator associated with radicals--and he associated with the president of the United States. A fine book."
-- Errol Louis , host of NY1's Road to City Hall "A collection of rousing 19th-century speeches on freedom and humanity. The eloquent orator Frederick Douglass (c. 1818-1895) 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 by including their coverage in the 'virulently proslavery' Brooklyn Eagle ...Covering one speech, the Eagle defended its claim of black inferiority by asserting, 'the abject submission of a race who are content to be enslaved when there is an opportunity to be free, gives the best evidence that they are fulfilling the destiny which Providence marked out for them.' Proof that Douglass' speeches, responding to the historical exigencies of his time, amply bear rereading today."
-- Kirkus Reviews "Although he never lived in Brooklyn, the great abolitionist Frederick Douglass had many friends and allies who did. Hamm has collected Douglass's searing antislavery speeches (and denunciations of him by the pro-slavery newspaper the Brooklyn Eagle ) delivered at Brooklyn locales during the mid-19th century."
-- Publishers Weekly , A notable African-American Title "This timely volume [presents] Douglass' towering voice in a way that sounds anything but dated."
-- Philadelphia Tribune "Though he never lived there, Frederick Douglass and the city of Brooklyn engaged in a profound repartee in the decades leading up to the Civil War, the disagreements between the two parties revealing the backward views of a borough that was much less progressive than it liked to think...Hamm...[illuminates] the complexities of a city and a figure at the vanguard of change."
-- Village Voice 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. Frederick Douglass (1818–1895) was an abolitionist leader, spokesman for racial equality, and defender of women's rights. He was born into slavery in Maryland and learned to read and write around age twelve, and it was through this that his ideological opposition to slavery began to take shape. He successfully escaped bondage in 1838. In 1845, he published his first autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave , which became a best seller in the US and was translated into several languages. He went on to advise President Abraham Lincoln on the treatment of black soldiers during the Civil War and continued to work for equality until his death.
-- New York Times "Insight into the remarkable life of a remarkable man. [Frederick] Douglass in Brooklyn shows how the great author and agitator associated with radicals--and he associated with the president of the United States. A fine book."
-- Errol Louis , host of NY1's Road to City Hall "A collection of rousing 19th-century speeches on freedom and humanity. The eloquent orator Frederick Douglass (c. 1818-1895) 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 by including their coverage in the 'virulently proslavery' Brooklyn Eagle ...Covering one speech, the Eagle defended its claim of black inferiority by asserting, 'the abject submission of a race who are content to be enslaved when there is an opportunity to be free, gives the best evidence that they are fulfilling the destiny which Providence marked out for them.' Proof that Douglass' speeches, responding to the historical exigencies of his time, amply bear rereading today."
-- Kirkus Reviews "Although he never lived in Brooklyn, the great abolitionist Frederick Douglass had many friends and allies who did. Hamm has collected Douglass's searing antislavery speeches (and denunciations of him by the pro-slavery newspaper the Brooklyn Eagle ) delivered at Brooklyn locales during the mid-19th century."
-- Publishers Weekly , A notable African-American Title "This timely volume [presents] Douglass' towering voice in a way that sounds anything but dated."
-- Philadelphia Tribune "Though he never lived there, Frederick Douglass and the city of Brooklyn engaged in a profound repartee in the decades leading up to the Civil War, the disagreements between the two parties revealing the backward views of a borough that was much less progressive than it liked to think...Hamm...[illuminates] the complexities of a city and a figure at the vanguard of change."
-- Village Voice 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. Frederick Douglass (1818–1895) was an abolitionist leader, spokesman for racial equality, and defender of women's rights. He was born into slavery in Maryland and learned to read and write around age twelve, and it was through this that his ideological opposition to slavery began to take shape. He successfully escaped bondage in 1838. In 1845, he published his first autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave , which became a best seller in the US and was translated into several languages. He went on to advise President Abraham Lincoln on the treatment of black soldiers during the Civil War and continued to work for equality until his death.
- GenresNonfictionHistory
224 pages, Paperback
Published January 3, 2017
About the author
Frederick Douglass
1,150 books1,822 followersFrederick Douglass (né Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey) was born a slave in the state of Maryland in 1818. After his escape from slavery, Douglass became a renowned abolitionist, editor and feminist. Having escaped from slavery at age 20, he took the name Frederick Douglass for himself and became an advocate of abolition. Douglass traveled widely, and often perilously, to lecture against slavery.
His first of three autobiographies, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave, was published in 1845. In 1847 he moved to Rochester, New York, and started working with fellow abolitionist Martin R. Delany to publish a weekly anti-slavery newspaper, North Star. Douglass was the only man to speak in favor of Elizabeth Cady Stanton's controversial plank of woman suffrage at the first women's rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848. As a signer of the Declaration of Sentiments, Douglass also promoted woman suffrage in his North Star. Douglass and Stanton remained lifelong friends.
In 1870 Douglass launched The New National Era out of Washington, D.C. He was nominated for vice-president by the Equal Rights Party to run with Victoria Woodhull as presidential candidate in 1872. He became U.S. marshal of the District of Columbia in 1877, and was later appointed minister resident and consul-general to Haiti. His District of Columbia home is a national historic site. D. 1895.
More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederic...
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1...
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/exhi...
http://www.loc.gov/collection/frederi...
http://www.nps.gov/frdo/index.htm
http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum/exhibits...
His first of three autobiographies, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave, was published in 1845. In 1847 he moved to Rochester, New York, and started working with fellow abolitionist Martin R. Delany to publish a weekly anti-slavery newspaper, North Star. Douglass was the only man to speak in favor of Elizabeth Cady Stanton's controversial plank of woman suffrage at the first women's rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848. As a signer of the Declaration of Sentiments, Douglass also promoted woman suffrage in his North Star. Douglass and Stanton remained lifelong friends.
In 1870 Douglass launched The New National Era out of Washington, D.C. He was nominated for vice-president by the Equal Rights Party to run with Victoria Woodhull as presidential candidate in 1872. He became U.S. marshal of the District of Columbia in 1877, and was later appointed minister resident and consul-general to Haiti. His District of Columbia home is a national historic site. D. 1895.
More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederic...
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1...
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/exhi...
http://www.loc.gov/collection/frederi...
http://www.nps.gov/frdo/index.htm
http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum/exhibits...
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 6, 2017
I very randomly picked up this book at the library, and on a whim checked it out. I'm glad I did. The context, speeches themselves, and occasional editorial that was published in response to the speeches in that time, were all unique to me as a method of learning history. I found I gained more knowledge about Lincoln and John Brown as well, and found myself shaking my head as the sentiments he has for certain Presidents mirrors that many of us feel for Trump.
This is a short, simple read. It was easy to keep tucked in my backpack and get a few pages in at a time. Worth reading.
This is a short, simple read. It was easy to keep tucked in my backpack and get a few pages in at a time. Worth reading.
March 1, 2017
Frederick Douglass in Brooklyn is a wonderful collection of some of the late great's best speeches. Edited by Theodore Hamm you read each word and line for line it takes you back in time and the words sound so crystal clear becasue what was being addressed are things that are problems today. One that stood out for me was the question of what will happen to black people? Will they ever be treated with the respect they deserve? Do Black Lives REALLY Matter? Though provoking and well written and a perfect addition to anyone who is a fan of African American History.
Reviewed By: Kisha Green for Literary Jewels
Review Copy Supplied By Publisher
Format: Paperback
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2025
It's not so easy to generate a fresh take on Frederick Douglass at this point. But this slim volume is pretty eye-opening. The text is just the speeches he specifically gave in *Brooklyn*. Narrowing the focus ups the contrasts, including how his thinking (and his understanding of what his audience was willing to hear) changed over time. His speeches, as always, are just so compelling -- make sure you slow down enough to hear them, not just read them. And I learned some new things about John Brown.
Where did these texts of his speeches come from? They were what was published in the newspapers of the day, including a whole bunch of fascinating commentary and editorializing. Plus the editor compares the supposedly verbatim text as published in different newspapers, with differing viewpoints.
Not for a single sitting, but worth savoring.
Where did these texts of his speeches come from? They were what was published in the newspapers of the day, including a whole bunch of fascinating commentary and editorializing. Plus the editor compares the supposedly verbatim text as published in different newspapers, with differing viewpoints.
Not for a single sitting, but worth savoring.
July 20, 2017
Very good look into appearances by Douglass in Brooklyn, over a course of decades. Author/editor does a fine job supplying explanatory notes regarding people and institutions long since gone.
It was discouraging to this elderly white male to see how painfully slow the progress toward mutual respect and understanding between races has been since Douglass' time. So much of his thoughts and opinion be from 150 years ago sound timely, if not in fact urgent. His was a voice that needed to be heard and still needs to be heard.
I would have rated book higher but I was confused at times - even with the explanatory notes - as to what was a verbatim report of Douglass' words and what was a synopsis by contemporary newspapers.
It was discouraging to this elderly white male to see how painfully slow the progress toward mutual respect and understanding between races has been since Douglass' time. So much of his thoughts and opinion be from 150 years ago sound timely, if not in fact urgent. His was a voice that needed to be heard and still needs to be heard.
I would have rated book higher but I was confused at times - even with the explanatory notes - as to what was a verbatim report of Douglass' words and what was a synopsis by contemporary newspapers.
February 10, 2018
Well put together, and filled with the beautiful language of the time, it is a worthy and largely relevant read.
March 3, 2017
Still relevant, unfortunately, even 150+ years later. Powerful wisdom (& some humor!) to take to heart.
December 11, 2016
FREDERICK DOUGLASS IN BROOKLYN by Frederick Douglas and edited by Theodore Hamm, was sent to me by Akashic Books (in Brooklyn) in exchange for an unbiased and honest review. Thank you.
The book consists of a Note from Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams; an Introduction; 8 chapters; a postscript and Acknowledgements.
Each chapter refers to the date and Brooklyn location of a speech given by Frederick Douglass; accounts in the local (and national) press; the audience; and public reactions to the particular speech.
An excellent introduction relates information about Douglass’s background; his allies and friends; his speeches, his publications and Brooklyn, itself.
The book is superbly edited. I found all the background information as interesting as the speeches themselves. I referred often to the many annotations.
Frederick Douglass’s speeches are powerful and demand critical thinking. Many of his questions and remarks are still pertinent today.
A very powerful, compelling, interesting, historical and thought-provoking book.
The book consists of a Note from Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams; an Introduction; 8 chapters; a postscript and Acknowledgements.
Each chapter refers to the date and Brooklyn location of a speech given by Frederick Douglass; accounts in the local (and national) press; the audience; and public reactions to the particular speech.
An excellent introduction relates information about Douglass’s background; his allies and friends; his speeches, his publications and Brooklyn, itself.
The book is superbly edited. I found all the background information as interesting as the speeches themselves. I referred often to the many annotations.
Frederick Douglass’s speeches are powerful and demand critical thinking. Many of his questions and remarks are still pertinent today.
A very powerful, compelling, interesting, historical and thought-provoking book.
December 13, 2016
I received an ARC of this book from Akashic Books and I am so happy that I did! I don't read a lot of nonfiction since I generally don't enjoy it, but this book blew me away! It is a collection of speeches made by Frederick Douglass in Brooklyn over the course of his life, along with information about the historical context of each speech and some newspaper articles about the reception of the speech from the time period. I found the book to be extremely well put together and the speeches themselves to be incredibly engaging and interesting. So many of the themes and ideas put forth in them are still extremely relevant today. This is an extremely important work and I would highly recommend it!!
February 5, 2020
I really enjoyed this, more than I thought I would. Douglass was funnier than I was led to believe. His speeches at BAM in 1863 and at Plymouth Church in 1866 were especially good.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews