William Wells Brown
William Wells Brown (circa 1814 – November 6, 1884) was an African-American abolitionist lecturer, novelist, playwright, and historian in the United States. Born into slavery in Kentucky, he escaped to Ohio in 1834, where he became a prominent anti-slavery activist. He is often noted for his autobiographical work, 'Narrative of William W. Brown, a Fugitive Slave', and for his novel 'Clotel', considered the first novel written by an African American.
Books
This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.
-
1. Clotel
"Clotel" is a novel set in the antebellum South that explores the life and struggles of Clotel, a young woman who is the daughter of an enslaved black woman and her white master, purportedly based on the real-life story of Thomas Jefferson's offspring with Sally Hemings. The narrative delves into the harsh realities of slavery, including the sexual exploitation of enslaved women, and follows Clotel and her sister as they navigate a society that views them as property rather than human beings. The novel is significant for being considered the first novel written by an African American and uses its narrative to critique the injustices of slavery and the hypocrisies of American society.
The 2933rd Greatest Book of All Time
