The Complete Frances Harper

Frances Ellen Watkins Harper

Description

The Complete Frances Harper (2021) is a collection of writing by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper. Harper, the first African American woman to publish a novel, gained a reputation as a popular poet and impassioned abolitionist in the decades leading up to the American Civil War. Much of her work was rediscovered in the twentieth century and preserved for its significance to some of the leading social movements of the nineteenth century, including temperance, abolition, and women’s suffrage. As an artist for whom the personal was always political, Frances Harper served in a leadership role at the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and worked to establish the National Association of Colored Women, serving for a time as vice president of the organization. Included in this volume are her early poetry volumes, such as Forest Leaves (1845) and Poems on Miscellaneous Subjects (1854). In “Bury Me in Free Land,” an influential poem published in an 1858 edition of abolitionist newspaper The Anti-Slavery Bugle, Harper expresses her commitment to the cause of freedom in life or death terms: “I ask no monument, proud and high, / To arrest the gaze of the passers-by; / All that my yearning spirit craves, / Is bury me not in a land of slaves.” She reflects on the theme of freedom throughout her body of work, often examining her own identity or experiences as a free Black woman alongside the lives of her enslaved countrymen. The Complete Frances Harper also includes her four groundbreaking novels. Minnie’s Sacrifice (1869), originally serialized in the Christian Recorder, addresses such themes as miscegenation, passing, and the institutionalized rape of enslaved women using the story of Moses as inspiration. Sowing and Reaping (1876) is a novel concerned with the cause of temperance in a time when Black families were frequently torn apart by alcoholism. Trial and Triumph (1888-1889) is a politically conscious novel concerned with an African American community doing its best to overcome hardship with love and solidarity. Iola Leroy, or Shadows Uplifted (1892) is a story of liberation set during the American Civil War that deals with such themes as abolition, miscegenation, and passing. In these novels, poems, speeches from across her lengthy career as an artist and activist, Harper not only dedicates herself to her suffering people, but imagines a time “When men of diverse sects and creeds / Are clasping hand in hand.” With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of The Complete Frances Harper is a classic of African American literature reimagined for modern readers.

Sujets

• 19th century
• African American
• Poetry
• American
• Black

Informations

• Publié par: Mint Editions
• Date de parution: 08 juin 2021
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781513217550
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

The Complete Frances Harper
Frances Ellen Watkins Harper
 
The Complete Frances Harper contains work first published from 1845–1892.
This edition published by Mint Editions 2021.
ISBN 9781513218557 | E-ISBN 9781513217550
Published by Mint Editions®
minteditionbooks.com
Publishing Director: Jennifer Newens
Design & Production: Rachel Lopez Metzger
Project Manager: Micaela Clark
Typesetting: Westchester Publishing Services
 
C ONTENTS N OTE FROM THE P UBLISHER P OEMS F OREST L EAVES E THIOPIA T HE S OUL “H E K NOWETH N OT T HAT THE D EAD A RE T HERE ” T HAT B LESSED H OPE Y EARNINGS F OR H OME F AREWELL , M Y H EART IS B EATING H AMAN AND M ORDECAI L ET M E L OVE T HEE R UTH AND N AOMI “B IBLE D EFENCE OF S LAVERY ” T O A M ISSIONARY “I T HIRST ” T HE D YING C HRISTIAN A D REAM T HE F ELON ’ S D REAM A D IALOGUE C RUCIFIXION A N A CROSTIC F OR S HE S AID I F I M AY B UT T OUCH OF H IS C LOTHES I S HALL B E W HOLE T HE P RESENTIMENT P OEMS ON M ISCELLANEOUS S UBJECTS T HE S YROPHENICIAN W OMAN T HE S LAVE M OTHER B IBLE D EFENCE OF S LAVERY E LIZA H ARRIS E THIOPIA T HE D RUNKARD ’ S C HILD T HE S LAVE A UCTION T HE R EVEL T HAT B LESSED H OPE T HE D YING C HRISTIAN R EPORT A DVICE TO THE G IRLS S AVED B Y F AITH D IED OF S TARVATION A M OTHER ’ S H EROISM T HE F UGITIVE ’ S W IFE T HE C ONTRAST T HE P RODIGAL ’ S R ETURN E VA ’ S F AREWELL F REE L ABOR B URY M E IN A F REE L AND S KETCHES OF S OUTHERN L IFE A UNT C HLOE T HE D ELIVERANCE A UNT C HLOE ’ S P OLITICS L EARNING TO R EAD C HURCH B UILDING T HE R EUNION “I T HIRST ” T HE D YING Q UEEN T HE J EWISH G RANDFATHER ’ S S TORY O UT IN THE C OLD S AVE THE B OYS N OTHING AND S OMETHING W ANDERER ’ S R ETURN “F ISHERS OF M EN ” S IGNING THE P LEDGE L IGHT B EYOND THE D ARKNESS A F AIRER H OPE , A B RIGHTER M ORN O UR H ERO A TLANTA O FFERING M Y M OTHER ’ S K ISSES A G RAIN OF S AND T HE C ROCUSES T HE P RESENT A GE D EDICATION P OEM A D OUBLE S TANDARD T HE D YING B ONDMAN “A L ITTLE C HILD S HALL L EAD T HEM ” T HE S PARROW ’ S F ALL G OD B LESS O UR N ATIVE L AND D ANDELIONS T HE B UILDING H OME , S WEET H OME T HE P URE IN H EART S HALL S EE G OD H E “H AD N OT W HERE TO L AY H IS H EAD ” G O W ORK IN M Y V INEYARD R ENEWAL OF S TRENGTH J AMIE ’ S P UZZLE T RUTH D EATH OF THE O LD S EA K ING S AVE THE B OYS N OTHING AND S OMETHING V ASHTI T HANK G OD FOR L ITTLE C HILDREN T HE M ARTYR OF A LABAMA T HE N IGHT OF D EATH M OTHER ’ S T REASURES T HE R EFINER ’ S G OLD A S TORY OF R EBELLION B URIAL OF S ARAH G OING F AST T HE H ERMIT ’ S S ACRIFICE S ONGS FOR THE P EOPLE S PEECHES L IBERTY FOR S LAVES Maine Anti-Slavery Society 1857 W E A RE A LL B OUND U P T OGETHER National Women’s Rights Convention May 1866 T HE G REAT P ROBLEM TO B E S OLVED Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery April 14th, 1875 E NLIGHTED M OTHERHOOD : A N A DDRESS Brooklyn Literary Society November 15th, 1892 W OMAN ’ S P OLITICAL F UTURE World’s Congress of Representative Women May 20th, 1893 N OVELS M INNIE ’ S S ACRIFICE I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV XV XVI XVII XVIII XIX XX C ONCLUSION S OWING AND R EAPING I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV XV XVI XVII XVIII XIX XX XXI T RIAL AND T RIUMPH I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV XV XVI XVII XVIII XIX XX S HADOWS U PLIFTED I. M YSTERY OF M ARKET S PEECH AND P RAYER -M EETING II. C ONTRABAND OF W AR III. U NCLE D ANIEL ’ S S TORY IV. A RRIVAL OF THE U NION A RMY V. T HE R ELEASE OF I OLA L EROY VI. R OBERT J OHNSON ’ S P ROMOTION AND R ELIGION VII. T OM A NDERSON ’ S D EATH VIII. T HE M YSTIFIED D OCTOR IX. E UGENE L EROY AND A LFRED L ORRAINE X. S HADOWS IN THE H OME XI. T HE P LAGUE AND THE L AW XII. S CHOOL - GIRL N OTIONS XIII. A R EJECTED S UITOR XIV. H ARRY L EROY XV. R OBERT AND HIS C OMPANY XVI. A FTER THE B ATTLE XVII. F LAMES IN THE S CHOOL -R OOM XVIII. S EARCHING FOR L OST O NES XIX. S TRIKING C ONTRASTS XX. A R EVELATION XXI. A H OME FOR M OTHER XXII. F URTHER L IFTING OF THE V EIL XXIII. D ELIGHTFUL R EUNIONS XXIV. N ORTHERN E XPERIENCE XXV. A N O LD F RIEND XXVI. O PEN Q UESTIONS XXVII. D IVERGING P ATHS XXVIII. D R . L ATROBE ’ S M ISTAKE XXIX. V ISITORS FROM THE S OUTH XXX. F RIENDS IN C OUNCIL XXXI. D AWNING A FFECTIONS XXXII. W OOING AND W EDDING XXXIII. C ONCLUSION P ROSE T HE B IBLE C HRISTIANITY T HE C OLORED P EOPLE IN A MERICA S HALMANEZER , P RINCE OF C OSMAN T HE T WO O FFERS
 
N OTE FROM THE P UBLISHER
The Complete Frances Harper is a collection of Frances Harper’s best work—her poetry, speeches, stories and novels—a reflection of one of the most prolific and influential Black women writers of the 19th century.
M. Clark
Berkeley, CA
 
 
POEMS
 
 
FOREST LEAVES
E THIOPIA
Yes, Ethiopia, yet shall stretch
Her bleeding hands abroad,
Her cry of agony shall reach
The burning throne of God.
The tyrant’s yoke from off her neck,
His fetters from her soul,
The mighty hand of God shall break,
And spurn their vile control.
Redeem’d from dust and freed from chains
Her sons shall lift their eyes,
From cloud capt hills and verdant plains
Shall shouts of triumph rise.
Upon her dark despairing brow
Shall play a smile of peace,
For God hath bent unto her woe
And bade her sorrows cease.
’Neath sheltering vines and stately palms,
Shall laughing children play,
And aged sires with joyous psalms,
Shall gladden every day.
Secure by night, and blest by day
Shall pass her happy hours,
Nor human tigers hunt for prey
Within her peaceful bowers.
Then Ethiopia, stretch, Oh stretch
Thy bleeding hands abroad,
Thy cry of agony shall reach
And find redress from God.
T HE S OUL
Bring forth the balance, let the weights be gold,
We’d know the worth of a deathless soul;
Bring rubies and jems from every mine,
With the wealth of ocean, land and clime.
Bring the joys of the glad green earth,
Its playful smiles and careless mirth;
The dews of youth, and flushes of health,
Bring! Oh bring! the wide world’s wealth.
Bring the rich radiant gems of thought
From the mines and deeps of knowledge brought;
Bring glowing words and ponderous lore,
Search heaven and earth’s arcana o’er.
Bring the fairest, brightest rolls of fame,
Unwritten with a deed of guilt or shame;
Bring honor’s guerdon, and victory’s crown,
Robes of pride, and laurels of renown.
We’ve brought the wealth of every mine,
We’ve ransack’d ocean, land clime,
And caught the joyous smiles away
From the prattling babe to the sire grey.
We’ve brought the names of the noble dead
With those who in their footsteps tread;
Here are wreaths of pride and gems of thought
From the battle field and study brought.
Heap high the gems, pile up the gold,
Heavy’s the weight of a deathless soul;
Make room for all the wealth of earth,
Its honors, joys, and careless mirth.
Leave me a niche for the rolls of fame
For precious indeed is a spotless name,
For the wreaths, the robes and gems of thought,
Let an empty place in the scale be sought.
With care we’ve adjusted balance and scale,
Futile our efforts we’ve seen them fail;
Lighter than dust is the wealth of earth
Weigh’d in the scales with immortal worth.
Could we drag the sun from its golden car
To lay in this balance with ev’ry star,
T’would darken the day and obscure the night,
But the weight of the balance would still be light.
“ H E K NOWETH N OT T HAT THE D EAD A RE T HERE”
In yonder halls reclining
Are forms surpassing fair,
And brilliant lights are shining,
But, Oh! the dead are there.
There’s music, song and dance,
There is banishment of care,
And mirth in every glance,
But still the dead are there.
Like the asp’s seductive venom
Hid ’neath flowerets fair,
This charnal house concealeth
The dead that slumber there.
’Neath that flow of song and laughter
Runs the current of despair,
But the simple sons of pleasure
Know not the dead are there.
They’ll shudder, start and tremble,
They’ll weep in wild despair,
When the solemn truth breaks on them
That the dead, the dead are there.
They who’ve scoff’d at ev’ry warning,
Who’ve turn’d from ev’ry prayer,
Shall learn in bitter anguish
That the dead, the dead are there.
T HAT B LESSED H OPE
Oh touch it not that hope so blest
Which cheers the fainting heart,
And points it to the coming rest
Where sorrow has no part.
Tear from heart each worldly prop,
Unbind each earthly string;
But to this blest and glorious hope,
Oh let my spirit cling.
It cheer’d amid the days of old
Each holy patriarch’s breast,
It was an anchor to their souls,
Upon it let me rest.
When wand’ring in the dens and caves,
In goat and sheep skins drest,
Apeel’d and scatter’d people learn’d
To know this hope was blest.
Help me to love this blessed hope;
My heart’s a fragile thing;
Will you not nerve and bear it up
Around this hope to cling.
Help amid this world of strife
To long for Christ to reign,
That when he brings the crown of life
I may that crown obtain.
Y EARNINGS F OR H OME
Oh let me go I’m weary here
And fevers scorch my brain,
I long to feel my native air
Breathe o’er each burning vein.
I long once more to see
My home among the distant hills,
To breathe amid the melody
Of murmering brooks and rills.
My home is where eternal snow
Round threat’ning craters sleep,
Where streamlets murmer soft and low
And playful cascades leap.
Tis where glad scenes shall meet
My weary, longing eye;
Where rocks and Alpine forests greet
The bright cerulean sky.
Your scenes are bright I know,
But there my mother pray’d,
Her cot is lowly, but I go
To die beneath its shade.
For, Oh I know she’ll cling
’Round me her treasur’d long,
My sisters too will sing
Each lov’d familiar song.
They’ll soothe my fever’d brow,
As in departed hours,
And spread around my dying couch
The brightest, fairest flowers.
Then let me go I’m weary here
And fevers scorch my brain,
I long to feel my native air,
Breathe o’er each burning vein.
F AREWELL, M Y H E