As residents of Maryland, it is more than relevant for ALL of us to learn about Maryland’s cruel and bitter history of slavery. But it is also relevant that we study and honor one of its most inspiring and courageous heroes. Born as a slave on a farm in Talbot County (Eastern shore), Frederick Douglass moved to Baltimore, taught himself to read and write, escaped to the North, and eventually become one of the county’s leading orators, authors, and activists. His tale of struggle, survival, and accomplishment is riveting—a great work of non-fiction.

I suggest that we use The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, the first of his three autobiographies for the Community Book Connection. It is so short (about 80 pages); it costs one dollar for the Dover Edition; and it really is a fabulously well-written account of the brutality of slavery and the unquenchable human yearning for freedom.

I understand that this text may not be directly applicable to the sciences and math, but since all of us live in Maryland, and since it is so short, I can imagine that some professors may assign it anyway, as extra credit, for example. (One Environmental Science Professor recently told me that the geology and environmental factors of Maryland had great bearing on the rise of Maryland as a slave state…so there may be more connections than may originally meet the eye!)

Here are some things in its favor:

¸ It’s brilliant (the nineteenth century language might be a little challenging for some students)
¸ It’s thoroughly educational
¸ It’s relevant to all (Baltimore figures prominently here)
¸ It’s short
¸ It’s cheap
¸ It’s in the “must-read” category of books
¸ It has been taught successfully for years in classrooms

¸ Theater could either dramatize this book, or do a play about slavery or the post-slavery era—for example an August Wilson piece. This would be especially appropriate since Wilson died last year. Joe Turner’s Come and Gone or Gem of the Ocean would be excellent)

¸ Events would practically plan themselves: field trip to the Frederick Douglass museum in DC; film series (so many good, relevant films); Frederick Douglass walking tour of Fells Point; debates on the legacy of slavery today; historical panels; discussions of modern day slavery (sexual slavery is a huge issue today); art and cultural events; memorial project; creative projects for students, etc)

¸ I can easily imagine that this book would work for: English; ESOL; speech; theater; art; sociology; history; business; criminal justice; psychology; health; sociology (there are many fascinating psychological and sociological insights in the book); women studies (even though he is a man there is a lot of material about the condition of women, including the use of rape as a tool of oppression, control, and economic gain); economics; anthropology; philosophy; and many more.

¸ CCBC Institutions that could use this text: Ethics Week; Closing the Gap; Creative Writing Forum; Black History Month; Diversity Week; and probably more.

Though we couldn’t get the author of the book to speak, we COULD get a prominent African-American studies scholar (like Cornel West, for example) to give the keynote address.