Chains and freedom : or, the life and adventures of Peter Wheeler, a colored man yet living. A slave in chains, a sailor on the deep, and a sinner at the cross / Peter Wheeler ; with an introduction by Graham Russell Gao Hodges.
Publication Info.
Tuscaloosa : University of Alabama Press, A⁺яD2009.
Originally published: New York : E.S. Arnold & Co., 1839.
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references.
Summary
"The slavery narratives of freedmen were a staple in the armamentarium of American abolitionists, since the narratives' authors could testify directly on the evils and hardships of their servitude, putting the lie to the claims from slavery advocates that the practice was humane and beneficial to its subjects. They also added appeals to the principles of religion, making a powerful argument against the toleration of a system of human bondage. What makes Wheeler's 1839 work a very interesting variant from the standard treatment is that he was northern-born--in New Jersey--and illegally sold and taken into New York State, then grew to adulthood held in slavery in the newly settled region of western New York. His memoir is direct evidence that slavery was not merely a southern aberration, but could and did happen very close to the homes of the northern audiences for such accounts. Wheeler's narrative of his work in the farms, canals, households, and seagoing vessels he served on are also unique in their coverage"--Publisher.
