April 26, 2002

The Bondwoman's Narrative is a true literary landmark. Its author, Hannah Crafts, was an African American Slave in North Carolina. The book, written in the 1850's is her life story and the account of her eventual escape to freedom in New Jersey.

Henry Louis Gates Jr., a humanities professor at Harvard, found the manuscript for auction and bought it. At the time, it was not believed to be authentic, but Gates pored over countless documents and census papers and determined that the account is true and that Hannah Crafts actually wrote the manuscript. He edited the manuscript and negotiated its publication.

He will come to Square Books to discuss the work and it's social and historical significance as one of the earliest first hand accounts of slave life.