Alvin A. Patrick Jr.
Jonathan Swift wrote, “Everything old is new again”. One of the great joys of book collecting is the “aha” moment one gets upon seeing the influence of an old book on contemporary life. From my collection of African American literature, I have chosen three 19th-century books that found renewed life in the 21st century.
The first book is one of the most popular “slave narratives” in the genre – Twelve Years A Slave: Narrative of Solomon Northrup. Published in 1853, it would become an Academy Award winning movie in 2013.
The second book, The Underground Railroad by William Still, was published in 1872. It chronicled the “escape to freedom” stories of over 600 enslaved persons. In 2017, a novel of the same name would win the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.
The third book, The History of the Negro Race in America from 1619 to 1880 by George Washington Williams, was arguably the first extensive history of African Americans. Published in 1882, it served as the foundation for a New York Times journalism project published in 2019 that would win the Pulitzer for commentary.
Mark Twain said, “History does not repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” Did Northrup, Still and Williams know their works would still be “rhyming” over a century hence? Either way, it gives me great pleasure to share these literary couplets with my fellow Grolier members and guests.
Solomon Northup (as told to David Wilson).
Twelve Years a Slave.
Auburn: Derby and Miller, 1853.
This incredible story of the free Black man Solomon Northup’s abduction and subsequent twelve-year enslavement in Louisiana was an instant bestseller. The slave narrative sold 30,000 copies in 1853 and Northup became popular on the national lecture circuit. This first edition features a frontispiece portrait of Solomon Northup, portraying him as enslaved. One hundred and sixty years later, in 2013, the film version of Northup’s story—directed by Steve McQueen and adapted by John Ridley—won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
William Still.
The Underground Railroad.
Philadelphia: Porter & Coates, 1872.
In this incredible book, William Still chronicles the stories of over 600 enslaved persons who escaped to freedom via the Underground Railroad. Still interviewed each person and compiled detailed documentation that serves as the definitive record of the secret network of escape routes and safe houses. William Still was born free in New Jersey and worked closely with Harriet Tubman in the abolitionist movement. This book features a handsome frontispiece portrait of Still. One hundred and forty-four years later, in 2016, Colson Whitehead wrote an historical novel of the same name. Whitehead’s fantastical book about a slave fleeing on an actual rail system won the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award.
George Washington Williams.
The History of the Negro Race in America from 1619 to 1880.
New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1882.
Considered the first overall history of African Americans, written by George Washington Williams, this book shows the contributions of Black people dating back to the early colonial era. A soldier, minister, and politician, but not a historian, Williams’ nonetheless meticulous research dated back to 1619 when enslaved persons arrived in America. This seminal book features a regal frontispiece portrait of Williams. One hundred thirty-seven years later, in 2019, The New York Times published a long form journalism project called “The 1619 Project”. Times journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary for her introductory essay.