Assignment Task:
Essay: Slave Narratives
Instructions:
In 1789, Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano; or, Gustavus Vassa, the African, Written by Himself was published in London and became an international best-seller. The narrative galvanized support for the transatlantic movement to abolish the slave trade. In the United States, former slaves began publishing their own narratives with the goal of not only documenting their experiences in captivity, but also persuading Americans to advocate for the abolition of the slave trade and slavery. Discuss the importance of slave narratives for understanding the experiences of the enslaved. Be sure to identify specific narratives and explain the circumstances under which many slave narratives were written and published, noting the role of anti-slavery activists, like Lydia Maria Child, in publishing these autobiographies.