Showing results by narrator "Rodney Louis Tompkins" in All Categories

E. M. Bounds (1835-1913) was a popular and respected Christian author and attorney. He wrote Power Through Prayer as a guide for Christians who wish to improve their lives. The book is practical, teaches the individual to pray fervently and effectively, and is claimed to have an invigorating effect on the soul.

A rivetting account of the western pioneers and their journeys across the wildlands in the early years of the 19th century. Travelling from the east to Pacific Coast held many dangers. The narrative describes those who traveled with him and many encounters with Indian tribes.

Jesse Max Barber, born in Blackstock, South Carolina, to former slave parents, was a journalist, dentist, and civil rights leader. His literary career began in 1903 while attending Virginia Union University in Richmond. In this work, The Negro of the Earlier World, Barber contends that a race without traditions and without history is most likely to be a race without backbone and without self-respect.

Robert Benjamin Lewis (1802 - 1858) was an African American and Native American author, inventor, and entrepreneur. In the ethnological work Light and Truth, Lewis claims that Adam and Eve were people of color, as were the Egyptians and many great figures of the ancient world, including Julius Caesar and Plato. Denouncing notions of white superiority, he asserts that all humans have a common origin, and pointed to a shared cultural history between Africans and Native Americans.

In this work published in 1888, the author recounts the history of the Edomites as gathered from the Bible. It examines the history of the Edomites in detail, from Esau to the siege of Jerusalem by Titus.

Mohammed Ali ben Said (later renamed Nicholas Said) was born in North Africa and enslaved when he was 12 years old. During his eventful life, he traveled to five continents, learned seven languages, served princes and diplomats, fought in the Union Army, and recorded his life story in his own words. He finally settled in Alabama, and his autobiography was published in 1873.

James Morris Webb argues that the Black man was the father of civilization, born in the land of Egypt, and that the different branches of science and art were simply transmitted to other races, which, as the ages have rolled by have only been enlarged - and to some extent improved upon. The narrative is rich in quotes from the Bible.

The autobiography of Louis Hughes serves as a window on the daily lives of slaves before and during the Civil War. Born into slavery near Charlottesville, Virginia in 1832, the narrative charts his life through Pontotoc, Mississippi to Memphis where he met his wife Matilda Morgan, to Tombigbee, Alabama and escape from slavery in Mississippi in 1865. Hughes provides unique historical insight into slavery in the Confederacy during the Civil War and concludes with the family living as free people in Milwaukee.

Robinson, one of 12 children of a slave family, grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina, and this account encompasses his life story from his earliest childhood recollections to his position as minister in the 1890s. The audiobook contains poignant descriptions of the resilience of slaves under the inhumanity of slaveholders.  

The author was born a slave on a plantation near Wilmington, North Carolina. He discusses the religious meetings he conducted as a slave near Wilmington, including encounters with patrols that attempted to prevent such meetings, and instances of benign social interaction between the races. This 1885 edition of Thomas H Jones's expanded 1862 edition of his memoir includes an addendum on his ministry during slavery and on his experiences as a minister on the abolitionist lecture circuit. 

 The Narrative of James Roberts indicates that he was born in 1753 in Maryland in a state of slavery. He accompanied his master in the Revolutionary War and also fought in the War of 1812 under General Jackson. Roberts eventually obtained his freedom and devoted his life to the struggle to end slavery. 

This autobiography of Friday Jones, Days of Bondage, is a slave narrative with a strong theme of overcoming diversity through spiritual growth. The nonlinear narrative consists of a series of episodes, many of which are harrowing in their cruelty. Ultimately, however, Days of Bondage is a moving text and a testament to the power of resilience.

Charles Ball’s book (1836) was written with the help of a lawyer, Isaac Fischer. He recounts his experiences as a slave, including descriptions of the harsh and inhumane conditions under which he lived. He also points out how his well-being depended on the temperament of his slave masters.

William Whipper (1837) felt strongly that change could be brought through model behavior and an appeal to human rationality. Non-violence was the answer for this activist. In this letter, he addresses the president arguing that non-resistance is the way to peace in the nation. 

Self-taught slave and underground railroad worker James Williams' memoir of his escape, time during the Gold Rush, and observations of the world around him. He starts with his birth and then escape - feeling the pull of the California Gold Rush. In these few pages, James gives a fascinating account of the people he met and events he witnessed. 

Paul Jennings, a slave of James Madison's, recounts his experiences with the man. He provides insights into his relationship with President Madison, including the kindness he showed him. Jennings lived in the White House and was with President Madison until the day of his death. 

This speech was delivered by Reverand Garnet in 1865 to commemorate the adoption of the 13th Amendment. He discusses slavery and how it has clouded his view since early childhood. His comparison of slavery to that of a demon is powerful, moving, and blunt. 

Samuel Davis remarks in his opening statement that this is the happiest period in his history. He discusses the elevation of the colored man and to do everything they can to advance their freedoms. Davis notes that they have petitioned over and over to no avail, but that they must persist to see results.

Langston delivers this speech at his old alma mater in 1874, touching on the topic of slavery in the United States. He addresses the president and friends on how the colored American has risen from being treated like a beast to an enfranchised man. His view is that the land is no longer ravaged by hate, but breeds a fraternal appreciation.