Harriet Beecher Stowe

Harriet Beecher Stowe's second antislavery novel was written partly in response to the criticisms of Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) by both white Southerners and black abolitionists. In Dred (1856), Stowe attempts to explore the issue of slavery from an African American perspective. Through the compelling stories of Nina Gordon, the mistress of a slave plantation, and Dred, a black revolutionary, Stowe brings to life conflicting beliefs about race, the institution of slavery, and the possibilities of violent resistance. Probing the political and spiritual goals that fuel Dred's rebellion, Stowe creates a figure far different from the acquiescent Christian martyr Uncle Tom. In his introductions to the classic novel, Robert S. Levine outlines the antislavery debates in which Stowe had become deeply involved before and during Dred. Levine shows that in addition to its significance in literary history, the novel remains relevant to present-day discussions of cross-racial perspectives.

Seeking to elevate the status of domestic work, Beecher and co-author Harriet Beecher Stowe redefine it as labor for which women must be educated. They also offer instruction in the specifics of maintaining a household.

In "Colored Patriots of the American Revolution," William Cooper Nell documents the important and oft-forgotten contributions of black Americans who fought during the Revolutionary War. While most history books focus on white heroes such as George Washington, Paul Revere, and Ethan Allen, "Colored Patriots" focuses on the black Americans who fought bravely and heroically for freedom and independence in the American Revolution. When the Revolution started, the American colonies had a population of about two and a half million people, one fifth of whom were black, mostly slaves. The courage and bravery demonstrated by blacks during the Revolution influenced legal decisions in the northern states to abolish slavery, leading to freedom for about 60,000 slaves. Yet for the most part, acts of heroism and the contributions of blacks during the Revolution either went unrecorded or were not widely publicized. "Colored Patriots of the American Revolution" is organized by state, with many historical names mentioned and an account given of the African American involvement state-by-state.

Harriet Elizabeth Beecher Stowe (1812-1896) was born in Litchfield, Connecticut; the daughter of Dr. Lyman Beecher, a distinguished clergyman. The family moved in 1833 to Cincinnati. In 1836 Harriet married Rev. Calvin Stowe, who later became a professor at Bowdoin College in Maine. The couple was living in Maine in 1851 when she began publishing “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” in weekly installments. This depiction of life for African Americans under slavery was then published as a book in 1852. It was enormously popular, selling an unprecedented 300,000 copies in the U.S. in its first year. It was also widely dramatized on stage. The story energized anti-slavery forces in the North and had a powerful impact on the growing rift between north and south in the 1850s. During her years in Cincinnati she wrote stories for the Cincinnati “Gazette” and other periodicals. A number of these were collected and published in a volume entitled “The Mayflower“.

After the Civil War, the Stowes bought a house on the St. Johns River near Mandarin, Florida. For several years, they spent the winters at their Florida home. In 1872, Stowe published Pametto Leaves describing the area, its people and wildlife. The book is organized as a series of articles and includes several ink sketches. It provides a unique view of north Florida and may have influenced Henry Flagler to develop Florida's east coast as a resort destination.

This is a revised and expanded version of The American Woman's Home [Gerritsen no. A198.4].