New Acquisitions Spring 2022 – 19 – Bauman Rare Books Featuring The First Appearance In Book Form Of Frederick Douglass’ Only Work Of Fiction, The Heroic Slave 21. DOUGLASS, Frederick and GRIFFITHS, Julia, editors. Autographs for Freedom. Boston, Cleveland, London, 1853. Small octavo (5 by 7-3/4 inches), original blind-stamped, gilt-lettered brown cloth. $4500. First edition of a powerful volume of nearly 40 works by leading abolitionists, together in print for the first time, co-edited by Frederick Douglass and Julia Griffiths, containing the first publication in book form of Douglass’ novella, The Heroic Slave, his only work of fiction, very elusive in original cloth. The 1841 slave revolt on the Creole, led by fugitive slave Madison Washington, was “one of the most successful slave revolts” in American history” (Harrold in Journal of African American History). Douglass often spoke of Washington and the Creole in speeches throughout the 1840s. In 1853 he sat at his desk to write Heroic Slave—his only work of fiction—a novella that reflects “his personal state of mind, his evolving ideas on violence, and the national crisis he sought to influence.” It was prompted by his vow to write an original piece for Autographs for Freedom, co-edited with British abolitionist Julia Griffiths: “an extremely important friend and coworker.” With Heroic Slave, appearing here in book form for the first time, he “gave a profound voice” to the rebel slave (Blight, 24950). First edition: precedes the first English edition (with sole London imprint of Sampson Low). Copies found issued without frontispiece and two plates (this copy) and with; issued in brown (this copy) and green cloth, no priority established. Heroic Slave earlier appearing in Douglass’ newspaper in March 1853 (Blight, 248). Sabin 28835. Blockson 9204. Bookplate of philanthropist Benjamin DeForest Curtis. Interior fresh with mild soiling to text and foreedge, light expert restoration to original cloth and endpapers. A handsome copy. “Sweep away from this otherwise happy land, the great sin of SLAVERY.”
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