This volume introduces students to the institution of slavery through a compilation of slave narratives, government documents, songs, and other firsthand accounts of those involved in the early slave trade, the passage from Africa, life as a slave, and stories from the Underground Railroad. Class activities are also included.

"A fascinating collection of primary and secondary source materials from a variety of perspectives on this period in America's history. Excerpts include the dramatic escape of William and Ellen Craft, David Walker's Appeal, an account of Harriet Tubman, text from the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, oral histories of fugitive slaves, and two passages from Frederick Douglass' narratives. A map of the major underground routes gives readers a broader picture of these times. Historic illustrations and three spirituals round out the text."