William Wells Brown (c.1814-1884)

William Wells Brown was a prominent African- American abolitionist lecturer, novelist, playwright and historian.
His novel Clotel; or the President’s Daughter (1853) considered to be the first novel written by an African- American - published in London, England.
In 1867 he published the first history by an African- American *The Negro in the American Revolution . *

George Higgins,his father, was a white plantation owner; his mother was a black slave named Elizabeth. She had 7 children all by different men.
His father treated him like a house slave: his mother was a field slave.

Together they were hired out to Major Freeland- a drunkard who kept a public house. William complained back to his father who was only interested in the money he was paid for his slaves - so after 6 months he escaped only to be caught. He was whipped and smoked (twice) and sent back to work.
( Read first set of notes )

He was also hired out to work on steamboats on the Missouri River. His work allowed to him to travel to see many new places. In 1833 he and his mother escaped across the river but were captured in Illinois. In 1834 they successfully slipped away from a steamboat when it docked in Cincinnati, Ohio

They escaped to Dayton. The elderly Quaker, Wells Brown, helped him recover from a fever. When asked if he had another name than William he decided to adopt this kind gentleman’s name - William Wells Brown. He learned to read and write and eagerly sought more education.

In 1834 he married Elizabeth Schooner. They had 2 daughters Clarissa and Josephine. ( Later they became estranged she died in 1851)
He was hired by Elijah P. Lovejoy, the famed abolitionist and publisher of the St. Louis Times. He enjoyed working for him.

From 1836- 1845? he made his home in Buffalo new York. He became a conductor on the Underground Railroad and worked on a Lake Erie steamer ferrying slaves to freedom in Canada.

He became active in the abolitionist movement by joining several anti-slavery societies which included public speaking and music. He traveled with a slavery -themed traveling panorama He also organized a Temperance society.

In 1947 published his memoir. -The Narrative of WWB , a Fugitive Slave, Written by Himself. ( See ‘Literary Works’)

In 1949 he traveled to the U.K. to lecture on slavery. Represents US at the International Peace Congress in Paris.

1950 Fugitive Slave Act in the US - decided to stay in Europe.

1853Clotel published in London

1854 Richardson family buy his freedom. Returns to US to rejoin the anti-slavery lecture circuit.

1861-5 American Civil War- recruits blacks for the Union.

1880 last book published

6th November, 1884 William dies , aged 70, in Chelsea, Massachusetts .

In 2013 he was among the first writers inducted to the Kentucky Writers Hall of Fame
He was the first African- American novelist & historian.