Thank you!

 

Thank you to everyone who participated in last night's first book discussion of the summer! We had such a great turnout, with a whopping 45 participants--a record online event for us! Having such a large online gathering could have been a headache, but your contributions made for an engaging discussion.

The conversation meandered along topics such as Douglass's memory, point of view, providence, and identity over the course of his lifetime. Several attendees remarked upon how the power of the Chesapeake Bay is evoked in his work and the influence of Christianity on 19th century America. We took a deep look at how the fight between Douglass and Covey became such a cornerstone in Douglass's understanding of himself and his activism. 

Unsurprisingly, the book discussion generated lots of recommendations for other works as well. Here are some of those:

• The Agitators, a play by Mat Smart. Read a review of the play in Ladue News.
• Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom by David W. Blight
• Frederick Douglass by William S. McFeely
• The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together by Heather McGhee
• Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl: Written by Herself by Harriet A. Jacobs
• Closer to Freedom: Enslaved Women and Everyday Resistance in the Plantation South by Stephanie M. H. Camp
• David Walker's Appeal to the Coloured Cititzens of the World by David Walker
  

Dr. Jack also suggested our readers visit Documenting the American South, where archivists at University of North Carolina have digitized all known narratives by enslaved people up until 1920.

If you haven't checked out Dr. Jack's presentation on the life and works of Frederick Douglass, you can view the videos here.

June is almost over, but we still have another discussion! Join us next week--Monday, June 28, at 7 p.m.--when we are excited to be joined by David F. Walker (not to be confused with the aforementioned abolitionist!), author of our June selection, The Life of Frederick Douglass. Email reference@ucitylibrary.org to make sure you get the Zoom invitation for the discussion.

Read on!