This book is a slave narrative, written by former slave, Moses Grandy.

"Narrative of the Life of Moses Grandy" by Moses Grandy is a poignant autobiography that provides a powerful firsthand account of the brutal realities of slavery in the United States. Grandy, a former slave, recounts his harrowing experiences with vivid detail and emotional resonance, shedding light on the inhumane treatment endured by enslaved individuals. This autobiographical work transcends genres, serving as both a historical document and a compelling narrative of resilience and survival. Through Grandy's perspective, readers are transported to the antebellum South, where they witness the daily struggles and injustices faced by enslaved people. Grandy's narrative explores themes of oppression, resistance, and the quest for freedom, offering valuable insights into the complex dynamics of race and power in American society. His story serves as a testament to the strength and resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity. As a firsthand account of slavery, "Narrative of the Life of Moses Grandy" holds significant historical and literary importance. It stands as a compelling testimony to the enduring legacy of slavery and the ongoing struggle for equality and justice.

The autobiographies of former slaves contributed powerfully to the abolitionist movement in the United States, fanning national--even international--indignation against the evils of slavery. The four texts gathered here are all from North Carolina slaves and are among the most memorable and influential slave narratives published in the nineteenth century. The writings of Moses Roper (1838), Lunsford Lane (1842), Moses Grandy (1843), and the Reverend Thomas H. Jones (1854) provide a moving testament to the struggles of enslaved people to affirm their human dignity and ultimately seize their liberty. Introductions to each narrative provide biographical and historical information as well as explanatory notes. Andrews's general introduction to the collection reveals that these narratives not only helped energize the abolitionist movement but also laid the groundwork for an African American literary tradition that inspired such novelists as Toni Morrison and Charles Johnson.

The first major study of slavery in the maritime South, The Waterman's Song chronicles the world of slave and free black fishermen, pilots, rivermen, sailors, ferrymen, and other laborers who, from the colonial era through Reconstruction, plied the vast inland waters of North Carolina from the Outer Banks to the upper reaches of tidewater rivers. Demonstrating the vitality and significance of this local African American maritime culture, David Cecelski also reveals its connections to the Afro-Caribbean, the relatively egalitarian work culture of seafaring men who visited nearby ports, and the revolutionary political tides that coursed throughout the black Atlantic. Black maritime laborers played an essential role in local abolitionist activity, slave insurrections, and other antislavery activism. They also boatlifted thousands of slaves to freedom during the Civil War. But most important, Cecelski says, they carried an insurgent, democratic vision born in the maritime districts of the slave South into the political maelstrom of the Civil War and Reconstruction.

-My name is Moses Grandy. I was born in Camden county, North Carolina. I believe I am fifty-six years old. Slaves seldom know exactly how old they are; neither they nor their masters set down the time of a birth; the slaves, because they are not allowed to write or read, and the masters, because they only care to know what slaves belong to them.