Bücher der Reihe Mint Editions--Black Narrative

Born the son of a prince, Venture Smith was captured and sold into slavery as a boy. Taken to Barbados across the Middle Passage, he was bought by Robinson Mumford from the colony of Rhode Island. There, he experienced firsthand the horrors of American slavery. A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture is an autobiography by Venture Smith.

Despite being a medical professional and a veteran of the First World War, Dr. Kenneth Harper finds it difficult to overcome the deep inequities of life in the American South. Determined to open a clinic in his native Georgia, he encounters opposition from neighbors and the Ku Klux Klan. The Fire in the Flint is a novel by Walter Francis White.

Bronze (1922) is a collection of poetry by Georgia Douglas Johnson. As Johnson's second published volume, Bronze is an invaluable work of African American literature for scholars and poetry enthusiasts alike. Comprised of some of Johnson's best poems, and graced with a foreword by W.E.B. Du Bois, Bronze showcases her sense of the musicality of language while illuminating the experiences of African American women of the early twentieth century."Don't knock at my heart, little one, / I cannot bear the pain / Of turning deaf-ear to your call / Time and time again!" This poem, titled "Black Woman," contains the tragic lament of a woman for whom motherhood would mean exposing her child to the cruelties of a racist world. "You do not know the monster men / Inhabiting the earth. / Be still, be still, my precious child, / I must not give you birth." Far from denying life, this black woman knows that the life of a black child would be precious only to her, and that she would lack the ability to defend her "little one" from violence and hatred. Despite this bleak vision, Johnson also foresees a time of peace, a world in which "All men as one beneath the sun" will live "In brotherhood forever." Throughout this collection, Johnson shows an efficiency with language and ear for music that make her an essential, underappreciated artist of the Harlem Renaissance. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Georgia Douglas Johnson's Bronze is a classic of African American literature reimagined for modern readers.

First appearing in 1845 The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, with its painfully vivid depiction of life in bondage, was both a bestseller in its day and one of the most powerful, authoritative texts lending support to the abolitionist movement. The author traces his life from an infant born into slavery and taken from his mother at birth, to a displaced child hungry for knowledge, to an abused and beaten laborer seeking freedom and a chance to marry the woman he loved. Offering bright, cameo glimpses into a world that should not be forgotten, Douglass chronicles both the cruel violence of a system that saw him as little more than livestock, and the brighter moments of success, of courageous support from friends and allies. Initially greeted by some with doubt that it could have been written by a black man and former slave, the book had a profound effect on American society, making the author something of a celebrity and his cause less an abstract ideal and more of an urgent human concern. Solemn, powerful and passionate The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is more than an important historical document--it is a personal account of striving for human freedom in a world where the author was regarded as neither free nor human. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is both modern and readable.

Magnolia Leaves (1897) is a collection of poems by Mary Weston Fordham. Published toward the end of her life, Fordham's only collection appeared in print with an introduction by Booker T. Washington, who saw in its author an undeniable gift which could prove "[t]he Negro's right to be considered worthy of recognition in the field of poetic effort." Meditating on such themes as morality, labor, maternity, liberty, and faith, Mary Weston Fordham displays not only a mastery of poetic form, but a hard-earned wisdom and talent for observing life in all its forms. "With hands all reddened and sore, / With back and shoulders low bent, / She stands all day, and part of the night / Till her strength is well-nigh spent." In "The Washerwoman," Fordham depicts a woman whose life on earth revolves around labor, for whom life after death means the promise of hard-earned rest, to "be found on the other shore." While many, if not all, of Fordham's poems revolve around Christian imagery and themes, some, including "Chicago Exposition Ode," "Stars and Stripes," and "Alaska," reflect on the promise of freedom and liberty in the aftermath of the Civil War. Her poems strive to depict the diversity of nineteenth century America, such as in "Atlanta Exposition Ode," which celebrates the end of war and the coming together of former slaves, Union soldiers, and Confederate forces alike. "Song to Erin" and "Highland Mary" depict the immigrant experience, while "The Cherokee" mourns the murder and displacement of America's indigenous peoples. In sixty-six poems, Mary Weston Fordham distils the experience of a lifetime and the wisdom of one who has experienced loss and found the strength to move forward. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Mary Weston Fordham's Magnolia Leaves is a classic of African American literature reimagined for modern readers.

Originally written during his two year imprisonment in Atlanta, The Tragedy of White Injustice and Other Meditations is a collection of short thoughts or, impromptu poetry, from one of the Fathers of Black Nationalism, Marcus Garvey. In 1925, Garvey was tried and sentenced for the crime of mail fraud in relation to his business with the Black Star Line. Left to the mercy of the United States Federal Penitentiary of Atlanta, Garvey had not much to do except write-to his wife, to the U.N.I.A, and to anyone who could help spread his message of total and complete independence for Black people across the world. With the support of his wife, Amy Jacques Garvey, he was able to publish, The Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey in 1925, and The Meditations of Marcus Garvey in 1927. Beginning with the lines, "Lying and stealing is the white man's game / For rights of God nor man he has no shame / (A practice of his throughout the whole world) / At all, great thunderbolts he has hurled," Garvey penned "The Tragedy of White Injustice," a cry for the people of the world to wake up to the atrocities of colonialism and racism. Described by Garvey as neither verse nor orthodox prose, "The Tragedy of White Injustice" as well as his other meditations, showcased his never-ending pursuit of worldwide Black independence and his everlasting Black pride even in the face of the harshest of circumstances.Including such pieces as, "Keep Cool," "The Black Woman," and "Hail! United States of Africa!,"Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book. With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.

Overshadowed: A Novel (1901) is a novel by Sutton E. Griggs. Published just two years after his debut novel, Overshadowed takes a different angle on the political reality of African Americans than Griggs explored in Imperium in Imperio. Taking an ironic tone, he examines the intersection of race and gender in the burgeoning Black middle-class to explore and critique the politics of liberalism and assimilation. Although Griggs' novels were largely forgotten by the mid-twentieth century, scholars have recently sought to emphasize his role as an activist and author involved with the movement for Black nationalism in the United States. Critics since have recognized Griggs as a pioneering political figure and author whose utopian themes and engagement with contemporary crises constitute some of the era's most radical literary efforts by an African American writer. "[T]he grain that came to life under the oak has its peculiar struggles. It must contend for sustenance with the roots of the oak. It must wrestle with the shade of the oak. The life of this isolated grain of corn is one continuous tragedy. Overshadowed is the story of this grain of corn, the Anglo-Saxon being the oak, and the Negro the plant struggling for existence." Introducing his second novel, Griggs sets the stage for a story of perseverance, a quality possessed by both Erma Wysong and Astral Herndon. Born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, Erma and Astral are representative of the emerging Black middle class. As they each go off to college and embark on a path to a promising young adulthood, they hope to take advantage of opportunities that weren't afforded to their parents. Secretly, however, Astral hopes to return to Richmond and win Erma's hand in marriage, believing that time and distance will convince her that he can be more than a friend. Although their love grows stronger, Astral finds himself flooded with doubt regarding one aspect of Erma's identity-although she was raised by Black parents, her birth father was a white man. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Sutton E Griggs' Overshadowed: A Novel is a classic work of African American literature reimagined for modern readers.

The Uncalled (1898) is a novel by African American author Paul Laurence Dunbar. Published while Dunbar was at the height of his career as one of the nation's leading black poets, The Uncalled marked his debut as a novelist with a powerful vision of faith and perseverance who sought to capture and examine the diversity of the African American experience. When his mother dies, Freddie Brent-whose father is presumed dead-is officially orphaned. Although some members of the church community think it best to send him to the local orphanage, Miss Hester, an unmarried older woman, declares it her duty to provide for the boy. Having never raised a child before, however, she struggles to ascertain and fulfill Freddie's needs, focusing instead on her perception of his troubled upbringing and punishing the boy for his parents' supposed sinfulness. Freddie looks forward to visits from Eliphalet Hodges, Miss Hester's longtime suitor, who acts as a father figure and shows him kindness and respect. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Paul Laurence Dunbar's The Uncalled is a classic of African American literature reimagined for modern readers.

Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole in Many Lands (1857) is the autobiography of Mary Seacole. Recognized for her pioneering healthcare work for soldiers and citizens around the world, Seacole was also the first Black Briton to publish an autobiographical work. Although Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole in Many Lands underwent editing by an anonymous person, it is a first-person account of Seacole's experiences during outbreaks of cholera, malaria, and war. "As I grew into womanhood, I began to indulge that longing to travel which will never leave me while I have health and vigour. I was never weary of tracing upon an old map the route to England; and never followed with my gaze the stately ships homeward bound without longing to be in them, and see the blue hills of Jamaica fade into the distance." Adventurous and energetic, empathetic and kind, Mary Seacole was a pioneering traveler and healer who saved countless lives and cared for the sick and dying on both sides of the Atlantic. From her early work with cholera and malaria patients in the Caribbean to her famous British Hotel, opened on the outskirts of Sevastopol during the Crimean War, Seacole served the suffering without regard for her own health or finances. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Mary Seacole's Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole in Many Lands is a classic work of British literature reimagined for modern readers.

The Collected Meditations of Mrs. Maria W. Stewart (2021) compiles the speeches and writings of Maria W. Stewart. This groundbreaking collection includes some of the best works from across Stewart's career as the first African American public lecturer, including Meditations from the Pen of Mrs. Maria Stewart, her 1832 speech delivered at the Franklin Hall, her address delivered before the African American Female Intelligence Society, and her lecture delivered at the African Masonic Hall in 1833. "Many will suffer for pleading the cause of oppressed Africa, and I shall glory in being one of her martyrs; for I am firmly persuaded that the God in whom I trust is able to protect me from the rage and malice of mine enemies, and from them that will rise up against me; and if there is no other way for me to escape, He is able to take me to himself..." In the brief span of five years, Stewart became one of Boston's most prominent lecturers on abolition and women's rights, passionately condemning the institution of slavery while calling attention to the racism faced by free African Americans living in the north. This collection places some of her best-known speeches alongside her highly regarded meditations, personal reflections on life as a Black woman in nineteenth century America. A keen observer of political events and a powerful voice against oppression of all kinds, Maria W. Stewart remains relatively unknown despite her prominent role in the movements for abolition and women's rights. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of The Collected Meditations of Mrs. Maria W. Stewart is a classic of African American literature reimagined for modern readers.

Initially published in 1920, Darkwater: Voices from Within the Veil is a combination of essays that tackle the power dynamics of gender, race and religion. It's a searing portrait of America influenced by Du Bois' own personal experiences. Du Bois delivers a contemporary examination of African American life during the first half of the twentieth century. He addresses issues of segregation, employment disparity and misogyny, specifically toward Black women. Darkwater: Voices from within the Veil is one of his prominent autobiographies, detailing internal and external conflicts and their effect on the whole. He presents an overall indictment of systemic racism, oppression and exploitation of any kind. W.E.B. Du Bois was a celebrated figure who dedicated his life to uplifting and educating the African American community. Darkwater: Voices from within the Veil is a critical part of his enduring legacy. It broaches tough topics and presents a valid critique of American culture. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Darkwater: Voices from within the Veil is both modern and readable.

The New Negro (1925) is an anthology by Alain Locke. Expanded from a March issue of Survey Graphic magazine, The New Negro compiles writing from such figures as Countee Cullen, Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Jean Toomer, and Locke himself. Recognized as a foundational text of the Harlem Renaissance, the collection is organized around Locke's writing on the function of art in reorganizing the conception of African American life and culture. Through self-understanding, creation, and independence, Locke's New Negro came to represent a break from an inhumane past, a means toward meaningful change for a people held down for far too long."[F]or generations in the mind of America, the Negro has been more of a formula than a human being-a something to be argued about, condemned or defended, to be 'kept down,' or 'in his place,' or 'helped up,' to be worried with or worried over, harassed or patronized, a social bogey or a social burden." Identifying the representation of black Americans in the national imaginary as oppressive in nature, Locke suggests a way forward through his theory of the New Negro, who "wishes to be known for what he is, even in his faults and shortcomings, and scorns a craven and precarious survival at the price of seeming to be what he is not." Throughout The New Negro, leading artists and intellectuals of the Harlem Renaissance offer their unique visions of who and what they are; voicing their concerns, portraying injustice, and illuminating the black experience, they provide a holistic vision of self-expression in all of its colors and forms.With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Alain Locke's The New Negro is a classic of African American literature reimagined for modern readers.

Of One Blood (1902-1903) is a novel by Pauline E. Hopkins. Recognized as one of the earliest works of science fiction by an African American writer, Of One Blood was originally published in The Colored American Magazine, America's first monthly periodical covering African American arts and culture. Combining themes of racial identity and passing within a genre-blending narrative of Gothic horror and the occult, Hopkins weaves a masterful tale of conspiracy, a lost African kingdom, and murder. Struggling with the mental and financial pressures of medical school, Reuel Briggs-a Black man who passes as white-decides to take a night off in order to attend a local concert. There, he sees the singer Dianthe Lusk, a beautiful woman who possess a mysterious aura. The next day, Reuel is called to assist at the scene of a train accident. There, he chances upon Dianthe, who has sustained a blow to the head. Using an experimental form of mesmerism, Reuel brings her back to life, but she seems to be suffering from near total amnesia. After nursing her back to health with the help of his best friend Aubrey, Reuel finds her a place to stay in Boston. Hoping to marry her, he offers to embark on an archaeological expedition organized by Aubrey, who claims to have discovered a lost Ethiopian kingdom. As the story unfolds, redemption turns to betrayal, best friends become sworn enemies, and a secret from the distant past threatens to change Reuel's life forever. With this thrilling tale of race, adventure, and mystery, Hopkins proves herself as a true pioneer of American literature, a woman whose talent and principles afforded her the vision necessary for illuminating the injustices of life in a nation founded on slavery and genocide. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Pauline E. Hopkins' Of One Blood is a classic work of African American literature reimagined for modern readers.

Ida B. Wells exposes a series of racially-motivated acts that disproportionately affect African Americans and is overwhelmingly ignored by a majority white criminal justice system. It's crucial documentation of a brutal practice that tormented a community.In the late nineteenth century, Ida B. Wells was a thriving journalist and civil rights activist. She used her writing and skills as an investigative reporter to reveal the horrifying reality that many African Americans experienced. The Red Record: Tabulated Statistics and Alleged Causes of Lynching in the United States, is an explosive report on how mob violence and white supremacy had become the de facto law of the land. It created a culture of cruelty and anti-blackness that promoted public attacks, including lynchings.Ida B. Wells' work helped to initiate conversations about racism, policy and policing. Shortly after the release of The Red Record: Tabulated Statistics and Alleged Causes of Lynching in the United States, the first anti-lynching bill was introduced into Congress. Wells' efforts were critical for African Americans seeking justice in a historically racist system.Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book. With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.