Frederick Douglass in Britain and Ireland, 1845-1895

Book excerpt: This critical edition documents Frederick Douglass's relationship with Britain through unexplored oratory and print culture. With an unprecedented and comprehensive 60,000-word introduction that places the speeches, letters, poetry and images printed here into context, the sources provide extraordinary insight into the myriad performative techniques Douglass used to win support for the causes of emancipation and human rights. Editors examine how Douglass employed various media - letters, speeches, interviews and his autobiographies - to convince the transatlantic public not only that his works were worth reading and his voice worth hearing, but also that the fight against racism would continue after his death.