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Writings From the Anti-Slavery Fight: A Four-Part Book Discussion with Dr. Richard Bell
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The long fight against American slavery produced some of the most powerful autobiographies and works of fiction in American history. This four-session book discussion series offers the chance to learn about, read, and informally discuss four classics of the period by men and women, black and white, who were central figures in the struggle to destroy race slavery in the United States.
Join Richard Bell, a professor of history at the University of Maryland, for short and vivid 30-min lectures about each work followed by an inclusive 60-min discussion driven by your own comments and questions. Participants should read the week’s book before each session.
Lecture 1: Frederick Douglass, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
The best-known memoir written by a runaway slave, Douglass’ 1845 autobiography is seared through with his distinctive moral clarity and describes his youth on Maryland’s Eastern Shore and in Baltimore—and his burning desire for freedom. Recommended Edition: Dover, 1995. ISBN: 978-0486284996
Lecture 2: Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin
The best-selling book of the nineteenth century, Stowe’s 1852 novel of plantation life is an adventure story, a romance, a sentimental tear-jerker, and a missionary tract all rolled into one. Readers either loved it or hated it and many people then and now believe its publication brought the nation to the brink of civil war. Recommended Edition: Dover, 2006. ISBN: 978-1591940555
Lecture 3: William Wells Brown, Clotel
Clotel is the first novel ever published by an African American author. It’s a heroic escape story about a female fugitive that lightly fictionalizes the scandalous sexual relationship between Thomas Jefferson and his slave, Sally Hemings. Recommended Edition: Penguin, 2003. ISBN: 978-0142437728
Lecture 4: Solomon Northup, Twelve Years a Slave
The source material for the 2013 Oscar-winning film, Twelve Years a Slave is Northup’s achingly powerful account of being kidnapped from upstate New York in 1841 and then sold into slavery in the Deep South, where he labored for more than a decade to try to escape and return to his family. Recommended Edition: Penguin, 2012. ASIN: B011MCYAXW
Dr. Richard Bell is Professor of History at the University of Maryland. He holds a PhD from Harvard University and has won more than a dozen teaching awards, including the University System of Maryland Board of Regents Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching. He has held major research fellowships at Yale, Cambridge, the Library of Congress and is the recipient of the Andrew Carnegie Fellowship and the National Endowment of the Humanities Public Scholar Award. Professor Bell is author of the new book "Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and their Astonishing Odyssey Home," which was shortlisted for the George Washington Prize and the Harriet Tubman Prize.
How does it work?
This is a 4-part series held weekly and hosted on Zoom. Please check the schedule for the specific dates and times for each lecture.
Is there a reading list in advance?
Though the course is open to participants with no background in anti-slavery writing, there are suggested readings for further investigation. You will receive this soon after course registration.
How long are the lectures?
Each lecture is 30 minutes long followed by a 60-minute interactive book discussion.
How much is the course?
The course is $140 for 4 lectures.
Is a recording available?
In general, our courses are not recorded. However, if you need to miss a lecture please let us know in advance and we can arrange for a recording for that session on an individual basis.
This conversation is suitable for all ages.
90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.
Richard Bell is an exceptional professor - he assigned good books and asked good questions to tease out participation from all, and we learned from each other. Important to read these early works as background for today’s books on racism.
It was an amazing course. Because we had readings and so much time for discussion, we were able to explore many parts of the readings. Dr. Bell gave a presentation and then asked us questions that encouraged participation and interesting conversation.
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Really enjoyed reading books that I wouldn't have chosen myself. Conversations were engaging and learned a lot. Highly recommend.
Dr. Bell provides historical explanation and context that provides tremendous insight into the four books read. He is a dynamic speaker who will enlighten and challenge. A skillful group leader, he was able to create great discussions by asking probing, provocative questions. This class was a joy and I would highly recommend it.