Amazing Grace: An Anthology of Poems About Slavery, 1660-1810

by James G. Basker (Editor)

Bringing together more than 400 poems and poetic excerpts on slavery by writers both famous and unknown, this landmark anthology charts the emergence of slavery in the collective consciousness of the English-speaking world.
“The most definitive collection of anti-slavery sentiment in verse yet compiled, essential reading for historians and literary critics alike. . . . A major contribution.”—Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Harvard University
“An astounding literary and editorial achievement.”—David Blight, Yale University
“Comprehensive. . . . The illuminating introduction . . . sets forth, economically and helpfully, the larger historical context (material, religious, legal, political) that gave rise to these poems. . . . (Basker’s) list of bibliographical sources . . . makes the book of permanent scholarly value. . . . The historical interest [of Amazing Grace ] is exceptional.”—Helen Vendler, New Republic
“Monumental in scope, vision, and editorial skill.”— Choice
“A big, moving book, vital reading for any student of the subject.”—Hugo Worthy, Antiquarian Book Review
“ Amazing Grace adds incomparably rich sources to our understanding of the cultural changes in the Anglo-American world that made antislavery movements both possible and eventually effective.”—David Brion Davis, Yale University

Genres: Poetry

784 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2002

About the author

James G. Basker is President of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and Richard Gilder Professor of Literary History at Barnard College, Columbia University. He is the author or editor of several books, including Amazing Grace: An Anthology of Poems about Slavery 1600–1810; Early American Abolitionists: A Collection of Anti-Slavery Writings 1760–1820; and Slavery in the Founding Era: Literary Contexts.

Reviews

[4Brandon Hawkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had great poems from Black Leaders in American History such as Frederick Douglass and Lucretia Mott