Saturday, January 17, 2009

My Bondage and My Freedom

Author: Frederick Douglass
Published : 1855
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This is an autobiography of Fredrick Douglass, a slave during first half of 19th century. He later on gained his freedom and went on to become one of the most prominent figures in USA, as an orator and social reformer. He was precursor to the likes of Martin Luther King Jr..
In this book he narrates his experiences as a slave and later about his work as an abolitionist.
The book also contains extracts from his speeches.

It is a moving account of hardships suffered by slaves as the result of cruelty inflicted upon them by the slave owners. Even after he became a free man , he faced racial discrimination. Several times he was thrown out of railway coaches meant for whites even though he had paid for his ticket. This reminds me of the experience Mahatma Gandhi had in South Africa almost 50 years later. Not sure whether Mahatma Gandhi ever read this book. But I am sure he would have liked it.

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