One Lincoln, One Read: Literature

The tradition of expressing Black agency in one's own voice emerged with the first men and women who escaped from slavery and not only documented the oppressive circumstances of enslavement but outlined their harrowing escape and subsequent lives of freedom. Equally compelling Black biographies detail the lived experiences in nuance, sophisticated ways that provide important contextual frameworks to the people presented therein. Please see below for a few recommended selections from these two incredibly large and rich genres within the Black tradition.