Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written by Himself (Annotated)

Bicentennial Edition with Douglass Family Histories

By: Frederick Douglass

Narrated by: Gordon Jackson

This is a special bicentennial edition of Douglass' most famous book, which has been published by his direct descendants through Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives (FDFI). It contains a never-before publicized pencil drawing of Douglass on the cover that was created by his grandson Joseph Douglass. Joseph is the grandfather of Nettie Washington Douglass, who serves as chairwoman for FDFI. She is Douglass' great-great-granddaughter and Washington's great-granddaughter.

The foreword of this edition is written by Kenneth B. Morris, Jr., Nettie's eldest son, who describes in more detail his historical kinship to the Douglass and Washington legacies. Bryan Stevenson, author of the New York Times best-seller Just Mercy, writes a brilliant introduction to this bicentennial edition. In his piece, Stevenson connects the challenges faced by Douglass with the most problematic social injustices of our time such as mass incarceration, racial inequality, and police violence.

The Library of Congress named Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass one of the 88 books that shaped America. Published in 1845, his first autobiography became an instant best-seller, putting his life in danger since he had escaped slavery just seven years earlier. Narrative helped change the course of the US abolitionist movement in the mid-19th century and has been changing the lives of readers ever since.

©2017 Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives (P)2018 Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives

Agreed IRRITATING READER

I too listened to several samples clearly picked the wrong one sound like he's eating gross

reader is irritating.

listening to the reader swallow saliva, and smack at the end of paragraphs is irritating. who ever produced this audio book must be a rookie

Most authentic voice

I listened to samples from all the other narrated versions in the Audible catalog and found this one to most evidently represent the expected sound of the original author.

One of the best explanations of the horrors of American slavery

I felt that Gordon Jackson did an outstanding job narrating Douglas’s work. Although always a fan of Frederick Douglas and what he stood for, this book, especially made me appreciate him even more for his courage you in fighting against slavery.

Required Reading

There is no end to racism until we reckon with this inhumane past. So eloquently and poignantly written by Frederick Douglas himself

Great Reviewer

I appreciate the fact Mr Douglass wrote his slave narrative in his own words! Insightful!