Word by Word: Emancipation and the Act of Writing

Consigned To Illiteracy, American Slaves Left Little Record Of Their Thoughts And Feelings—or So We Have Believed. But A Few Learned To Use Pen And Paper To Make Sense Of Their Experiences, Despite Prohibitions. These Authors’ Perspectives Rewrite The History Of Emancipation And Force Us To Rethink The Relationship Between Literacy And Freedom.