Clotel; or, The President's Daughter

For fans of American history and the abolition of slavery, 'Clotel' follows two sisters who are the fictional slave daughters of Thomas Jefferson. After Thomas Jefferson's death, Clotel and her sister Althesa encounter many hardships, with the women making heroic decisions in order to keep themselves safe and preserve their families.

A harrowing story of huge importance, 'Clotel' is the first novel published by an African American. With historic overtones, the story looks at how slavery destroyed African-American families and tore them apart, and the difficulties mixed-raced people faced living in the mid-1800s.

Those who enjoyed Ellen Watkins Harper's 'Iola Leroy' should certainly explore this gripping historical novel!

William Wells Brown was a prominent abolitionist lecturer, novelist, playwright, and historian in the United States. He was born into slavery in Montgomery County, Kentucky and escaped to Ohio in 1834 at the age of 19.

He settled in Boston where he worked for abolitionist causes and became a prolific writer. His novel Clotel (1853), considered the first novel written by an African American, was published in London, where he resided at the time; it was later published in the United States.

Brown was a pioneer in travel writing, fiction, and drama literary genres. In 1858 he became the first published African-American playwright and following the Civil War, in 1867 he published what is considered the first history of African Americans in the Revolutionary War. He was among the first writers inducted to the Kentucky Writers Hall of Fame, established in 2013.

Brown was lecturing in England when the 1850 Fugitive Slave Law was passed in the US. As its provisions increased the risk of capture and re-enslavement, he stayed overseas for several years and traveled throughout Europe. After his freedom was purchased in 1854 by a British couple, he and his two daughters returned to the US.


  1. The Anthology. African American literature. Novels and short stories. Poetry. Non-fiction. Essays. Illustrated

    William Wells Brown, Harriet E. Wilson, Nella Larsen, Alice Dunbar-Nelson, Charles W. Chesnutt, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Frances E. Harper, Langston Hughes, Phillis Wheatley, Solomon Northup, Frederick Douglass, Jean Toomer, Countee Cullen, Olaudah Equiano, Mary Prince, Charles Ball, Josiah Henson, Harriet Ann Jacobs, Elizabeth Keckley, Louis Hughes, Booker T. Washington, Henry Box Brown, James Hambleton Christian, Theophilus Collins, Seth Concklin, Charles Gilbert, Samuel Green, Jamie Griffin, Harry Grimes, John Henry Hill, Jane Johnson, Matilda Mahoney, Mary Frances Melvin, Aunt Hannah Moore, Alfred S. Thornton, W. E. DuBois

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  2. A Life in Chains : The Juneteenth Edition: Novels, Memoirs, Interviews, Testimonies, Studies, Official Records on Slavery and Abolitionism

    Frederick Douglass, Harriet E. Wilson, Harriet Jacobs, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Mark Twain, Lydia Maria Child, William Wells Brown, Charles W. Chesnutt, James Weldon Johnson, Booker T. Washington

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  3. Slavery: Not Forgiven, Never Forgotten – The Most Powerful Slave Narratives, Historical Documents & Influential Novels : The Underground Railroad, Memoirs of Frederick Douglass, 12 Years a Slave, Uncle Tom's Cabin, History of Abolitionism, Lynch Law, Civil Rights Acts, New Amendments and much more

    Frederick Douglass, Harriet Jacobs, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Mark Twain, Lydia Maria Child, Harriet E. Wilson, William Wells Brown, Charles W. Chesnutt, James Weldon Johnson, Albion Winegar Tourgée, Sutton E. Griggs, Solomon Northup, Willie Lynch, Nat Turner, Sojourner Truth, Mary Prince, William Craft, Ellen Craft, Louis Hughes, Jacob D. Green, Booker T. Washington, Olaudah Equiano, Elizabeth Keckley, William Still, Sarah H. Bradford, Josiah Henson, Charles Ball, Austin Steward, Henry Bibb, L. S. Thompson, Kate Drumgoold, Lucy A. Delaney, Moses Grandy, John Gabriel Stedman, Henry Box Brown, Margaretta Matilda Odell, Thomas S. Gaines, Brantz Mayer, Aphra Behn, Theodore Canot, Daniel Drayton, Thomas Clarkson, F. G. De Fontaine, John Dixon Long, Stephen Smith, Joseph Mountain, Ida B. Wells-Barnett

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  4. UNCHAINED - Powerful & Unflinching Narratives Of Former Slaves: 28 True Life Stories in One Volume : Voices of Resilience and Courage: Freedom Stories from Former Slaves

    Thomas Clarkson, Daniel Drayton, Louis Hughes, Lydia Maria Child, Austin Steward, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Moses Grandy, William Wells Brown, William Still, Nat Turner, Henry Bibb, Olaudah Equiano, Sojourner Truth, Mary Prince, Kate Drumgoold, Frederick Douglass, Brantz Mayer, Theodore Canot, Booker T. Washington, Elizabeth Keckley, Charles Ball, Solomon Northup, Josiah Henson, Stephen Smith, Ellen Craft, William Craft, John Gabriel Stedman, Sarah H. Bradford, Lucy A. Delaney, L. S. Thompson, F. G. De Fontaine, Henry Box Brown, John Dixon Long, Harriet Jacobs, Jacob D. Green, Thomas S. Gaines, Willie Lynch, Margaretta Matilda Odell, Joseph Mountain

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  5. 100$ REWARD ON MY HEAD – Powerful & Unflinching Memoirs Of Former Slaves: 28 Narratives in One Volume : Voices of Resilience and Freedom: Untold Stories of Former Slaves

    Thomas Clarkson, Daniel Drayton, Louis Hughes, Lydia Maria Child, Austin Steward, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Moses Grandy, William Wells Brown, William Still, Nat Turner, Henry Bibb, Olaudah Equiano, Sojourner Truth, Mary Prince, Kate Drumgoold, Frederick Douglass, Brantz Mayer, Theodore Canot, Booker T. Washington, Elizabeth Keckley, Charles Ball, Solomon Northup, Josiah Henson, Stephen Smith, Ellen Craft, William Craft, John Gabriel Stedman, Sarah H. Bradford, Lucy A. Delaney, L. S. Thompson, F. G. De Fontaine, Henry Box Brown, John Dixon Long, Harriet Jacobs, Jacob D. Green, Thomas S. Gaines, Willie Lynch, Margaretta Matilda Odell, Joseph Mountain

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  6. Never Forgotten, Never Could be : Documented Testimonies of Former Slaves, Memoirs & History of Abolitionist Movement

    Thomas Clarkson, Daniel Drayton, Louis Hughes, Lydia Maria Child, Austin Steward, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Moses Grandy, William Wells Brown, William Still, Nat Turner, Henry Bibb, Olaudah Equiano, Sojourner Truth, Mary Prince, Kate Drumgoold, Frederick Douglass, Brantz Mayer, Theodore Canot, Booker T. Washington, Elizabeth Keckley, Charles Ball, Solomon Northup, Josiah Henson, Stephen Smith, Ellen Craft, William Craft, John Gabriel Stedman, Sarah H. Bradford, Lucy A. Delaney, L. S. Thompson, F. G. De Fontaine, Henry Box Brown, John Dixon Long, Harriet Jacobs, Jacob D. Green, Thomas S. Gaines, Willie Lynch, Margaretta Matilda Odell, Joseph Mountain

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  7. Living to Tell the Horrid Tales: True Life Stories of Fomer Slaves, Historical Documents & Novels

    Mark Twain, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Aphra Behn, Thomas Clarkson, Daniel Drayton, Louis Hughes, Lydia Maria Child, James Weldon Johnson, Austin Steward, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Moses Grandy, William Wells Brown, William Still, Nat Turner, Henry Bibb, Olaudah Equiano, Sojourner Truth, Mary Prince, Kate Drumgoold, Frederick Douglass, Brantz Mayer, Theodore Canot, Booker T. Washington, Elizabeth Keckley, Albion Winegar Tourgée, Charles Ball, Solomon Northup, Josiah Henson, Stephen Smith, Harriet E. Wilson, Ellen Craft, William Craft, John Gabriel Stedman, Charles W. Chesnutt, Sarah H. Bradford, Sutton E. Griggs, Lucy A. Delaney, L. S. Thompson, F. G. De Fontaine, Henry Box Brown, John Dixon Long, Harriet Jacobs, Jacob D. Green, Thomas S. Gaines, Willie Lynch, Margaretta Matilda Odell, Joseph Mountain

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  8. Never Forgotten, Never Could be : Documented Testimonies of Former Slaves, Memoirs & History of Abolitionist Movement

    Thomas Clarkson, Daniel Drayton, Louis Hughes, Lydia Maria Child, Austin Steward, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Moses Grandy, William Wells Brown, William Still, Nat Turner, Henry Bibb, Olaudah Equiano, Sojourner Truth, Mary Prince, Kate Drumgoold, Frederick Douglass, Brantz Mayer, Theodore Canot, Booker T. Washington, Elizabeth Keckley, Charles Ball, Solomon Northup, Josiah Henson, Stephen Smith, Ellen Craft, William Craft, John Gabriel Stedman, Sarah H. Bradford, Lucy A. Delaney, L. S. Thompson, F. G. De Fontaine, Henry Box Brown, John Dixon Long, Harriet Jacobs, Jacob D. Green, Thomas S. Gaines, Willie Lynch, Margaretta Matilda Odell, Joseph Mountain

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  9. A Life in Chains : The Juneteenth Edition: Novels, Memoirs, Interviews, Testimonies, Studies, Official Records on Slavery and Abolitionism

    Mark Twain, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Lydia Maria Child, James Weldon Johnson, William Wells Brown, Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, Harriet E. Wilson, Charles W. Chesnutt, Harriet Jacobs

    book
  10. Living to Tell the Horrid Tales: True Life Stories of Fomer Slaves, Historical Documents & Novels

    Mark Twain, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Aphra Behn, Thomas Clarkson, Daniel Drayton, Louis Hughes, Lydia Maria Child, James Weldon Johnson, Austin Steward, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Moses Grandy, William Wells Brown, William Still, Nat Turner, Henry Bibb, Olaudah Equiano, Sojourner Truth, Mary Prince, Kate Drumgoold, Frederick Douglass, Brantz Mayer, Theodore Canot, Booker T. Washington, Elizabeth Keckley, Albion Winegar Tourgée, Charles Ball, Solomon Northup, Josiah Henson, Stephen Smith, Harriet E. Wilson, Ellen Craft, William Craft, John Gabriel Stedman, Charles W. Chesnutt, Sarah H. Bradford, Sutton E. Griggs, Lucy A. Delaney, L. S. Thompson, F. G. De Fontaine, Henry Box Brown, John Dixon Long, Harriet Jacobs, Jacob D. Green, Thomas S. Gaines, Willie Lynch, Margaretta Matilda Odell, Joseph Mountain

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  11. 100$ REWARD ON MY HEAD – Powerful & Unflinching Memoirs Of Former Slaves : 28 Narratives in One Volume

    Thomas Clarkson, Daniel Drayton, Louis Hughes, Lydia Maria Child, Austin Steward, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Moses Grandy, William Wells Brown, William Still, Nat Turner, Henry Bibb, Olaudah Equiano, Sojourner Truth, Mary Prince, Kate Drumgoold, Frederick Douglass, Brantz Mayer, Theodore Canot, Booker T. Washington, Elizabeth Keckley, Charles Ball, Solomon Northup, Josiah Henson, Stephen Smith, Ellen Craft, William Craft, John Gabriel Stedman, Sarah H. Bradford, Lucy A. Delaney, L. S. Thompson, F. G. De Fontaine, Henry Box Brown, John Dixon Long, Harriet Jacobs, Jacob D. Green, Thomas S. Gaines, Willie Lynch, Margaretta Matilda Odell, Joseph Mountain

    book
  12. UNCHAINED - Powerful & Unflinching Narratives Of Former Slaves: 28 True Life Stories in One Volume

    Thomas Clarkson, Daniel Drayton, Louis Hughes, Lydia Maria Child, Austin Steward, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Moses Grandy, William Wells Brown, William Still, Nat Turner, Henry Bibb, Olaudah Equiano, Sojourner Truth, Mary Prince, Kate Drumgoold, Frederick Douglass, Brantz Mayer, Theodore Canot, Booker T. Washington, Elizabeth Keckley, Charles Ball, Solomon Northup, Josiah Henson, Stephen Smith, Ellen Craft, William Craft, John Gabriel Stedman, Sarah H. Bradford, Lucy A. Delaney, L. S. Thompson, F. G. De Fontaine, Henry Box Brown, John Dixon Long, Harriet Jacobs, Jacob D. Green, Thomas S. Gaines, Willie Lynch, Margaretta Matilda Odell, Joseph Mountain

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