Clotel; Or, The President's Daughter

Name: Clotel; Or, The President's Daughter
Author: William Wells Brown

By William Wells Brown

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American Literature Novels

About This Book

A series of interlinked episodes traces the lives of mixed‑race women born into slavery, the sale and separation of families, coerced intimacies with white men, and failed attempts at legal or purchased freedom. Scenes range from slave markets and clandestine relationships to pursuit, imprisonment, escape, and death, while religious and civic authorities are shown complicit in maintaining bondage. Through shifting perspectives and dramatic incidents, the narrative exposes the personal costs of slavery, the legal and moral hypocrisies that sustain it, and the fraught longing for autonomy.

About the Author

William Wells Brown

William Wells Brown was a prominent African American author, abolitionist, and lecturer in the 19th century. Born into slavery, he escaped and became a leading voice in the fight against slavery. His notable works include "Clotel; Or, The President's Daughter," which is recognized as the first novel published by an African American. Brown's writings often explored themes of race, identity, and the struggle for freedom, contributing significantly to American literature and the abolitionist movement. He also authored autobiographical narratives detailing his experiences as a fugitive slave, as well as works advocating for the rights and achievements of Black Americans.